Coming to the decision of filing for divorce or getting ready for a custody battle can be an overwhelming and emotional moment. To assure that your meeting with a prospective attorney to represent you is time well spent, you should create a list of questions to have prepared to determine whether the attorney and you will be a good fit. Below is a list of suggested questions to ask during your initial consultation:
- Do you practice in the county where my case will be in (or is in) regularly?
- Do you focus solely on family law or are there other areas you focus on?
- Do you have experience with the specific type of issues/facts involved in my case?
- Have you handled cases in the particular court where my divorce or custody hearing will take place?
- What is the best way to communicate with you? Are you responsive to emails? Will I be able to get ahold of you by telephone?
- What is a general timeline for my case?
- What should I be doing to prepare for this case?
- Are there alternatives to going before the judge or is it likely that I will have to go before a judge based on what I’ve told you about my case?
Depending on your unique situation and facts, there may be additional questions that you will have about the divorce or child custody process. The best course of action is to have them written out so that you do not forget them when meeting with your potential attorney.
It is extremely important that you feel comfortable with your attorney as you could be working with them for a significant amount of time while opening up to them about personal details in your relationships and your finances.