What to Have for Your Divorce Lawyer

The process of deciding to file for a divorce, thereby ending your marriage, is one of the most emotionally taxing any person can go through. It is becoming fairly commonplace however. Right now, the divorce rate in America is hovering around the 50% region. Thankfully, at least for the parties involved, a majority of couples are able to remain relatively civil during divorce proceedings, civil enough that the hiring of attorneys really is not entirely necessary. There are some divorce proceedings, however, that can go on for an excruciating amount of time and can turn very, very bitter. This is more likely to happen when children are involved. We all have friends who have gone through a nasty divorce, or if not, we’ve seen the Alec Baldwin-Kim Basinger mess plague the tabloids even still, dating back to 2001. That’s an extreme example for sure, but it does demonstrate the chaos that can ensue. When a divorce has this kind of potential, it is absolutely essential to have a lawyer by your side. Yes, it can be expensive to do so, and it is scary to spend that type of money to go through a process that will cost you even more money, but lawyers will make the process much more expedient. But you have to help your lawyer out as much as he or she will help you. When you first meet your divorce lawyer, you should have some things readily available for him or her. One of the most important things you need to have for your attorney is your tax returns. In your home, a divorce is the tragic dissolution of a family. In the eyes of the law, a divorce is the separation of one financial entity into two. As cold as that sounds, that’s essentially what it is. Because of this, your lawyer will need to have a thorough account of your assets and debts. The more assets there are, the more complicated the divorce is likely to be, so don’t hide anything. This isn’t just for your lawyer. Most courts require both parties to submit tax returns as a submission of evidence. If you really want to assist your lawyer, bring a financial declaration with your previous year’s tax return. This is a document that will list all of your assets, liabilities, bank accounts and income. Like with your tax return, the court will require both parties to exchange a financial declaration. Apart from these financial documents, you should have a timeline of the events that led to your divorce readymade for your attorney. This will be much easier for you if you are the party that filed for the divorce. It might be trickier if you aren’t, particularly if the divorce papers were a surprise. It’s important to get over that initial shock and to think back on troublesome times and signs that might have led you to your current situation. This will help your attorney establish his or her defense. Be as accurate as possible, particularly in the timetable of events. If you are wrong, this can severely trip up your attorney’s case. Finally, the most important thing you can have for your lawyer during your initial meeting is a willingness to tell the truth. Your attorney won’t be able to help you if you’re not forthcoming. No lawyer appreciates being blind-sided during a cross-examination, when you are forced to answer a question that your spouse’s lawyer asked that your lawyer did not know the answer to. This kind of blow can be devastating. Even if you think some details are unimportant, speak up. The lawyer will clearly know more about the legal proceedings than you do, so what you have to say could be very important. The divorce process can obviously be fairly miserable; there’s no need to make it worse than it already is. Get a solid lawyer you can get along with and be completely straightforward with him or her from the beginning. It will benefit you in the long run. For more information about divorce lawyers or child custody, check these out.