What Questions Will A Divorce Lawyer Ask Me During The Consultation?

Before you begin a consultation with a divorce lawyer you may be thinking not only what questions to ask the attorney, but what questions the attorney may ask you. It is natural to feel nervous or anxious heading into your initial consultation. The purpose of this article is to help you anticipate what questions you may be asked by the divorce attorney so you don’t draw a blank and can be better prepared for the initial meeting or divorce consultation. Generally speaking, an experienced divorce lawyer will provide you a lot of information during the initial consultation but should also be receiving important information from you in order to help you achieve your goals and have a successful outcome for your particular situation, whether it be a divorce, custody modification, or another family law related matter. Quite frankly, if the attorney you are meeting with does not ask questions about you or cover many (if not all) of the topics below, then that should be a red flag that perhaps you need to interview another attorney. During the initial consultation, a divorce lawyer’s questions will likely include: What is Your Current Living Situation?rnSome people physically separate before they decide to file for divorce while others are still living together. Others have nesting arrangements while some people have one spouse who is coming and going. There are many permutations of the current living situation, but the experienced divorce lawyer will want to understand the current living situation and whether it is working (or not) for you. Also the lawyer will want to know if you are renting, if you own, and what it currently costs. Further, if you own, they will want to know how the house is titled (are you both on title and if not jointly titled then how) and whether or not you are both on the mortgage. If there is a mortgage or other debt, they will likely want to know the outstanding amounts. Don’t worry if you don’t know or don’t have that information at your fingertips, but if you do know, that would be helpful. Do either of you have separate property or a claim to separate property? rnNot all property is necessarily marital, and while you may not know from the outset what the values may be, you should be prepared to discuss marital vs. separate property with the divorce attorney. If you don’t understand these concepts or have no idea what is separate versus marital property, the divorce attorney should be able to explain the concepts to you in the initial consultation. Are Minor Children Involved? Child custody and child support issues are central to any divorce. The divorce lawyer should discuss with you how child support is determined, the Georgia court factors for custody, and the difference between the different types of custody and custodial arrangements. Also, the lawyer should cover what legal and physical custody actually means.