Getting a divorce is never an easy decision. However, if you have decided to take that step, you should be well prepared for the whole process. Finalizing this process often requires legal help and you need to be familiar with every component and phase of the whole thing. In case you have hired a divorce lawyer, and you are lost when it comes to what should you do next, it is probably a good idea to think about the questions you should ask your lawyer. Take a look at the following list of questions, provided by Inlawwetrust that might be useful.
1. Questions about your lawyer’s reputation
Once you have hired a lawyer, you should be familiar with his/her professional background. Therefore, you should think about asking the following questions:
- How many divorce cases were you able to settle out of court?
- Do you know the lawyer who represents the other side?
- How many divorce cases have you settled?
- Do you believe that it is better to mediate and negotiate than to go to trial?
- Do you practice collaborative divorce?
2. Questions about the price
You need to know how much the whole thing is going to cost you. This should be one of the first things to consider because you probably don’t want to burden your budget too much. On top of that, you want to be familiar with the fees.
- What is your hourly billing rate?
- How much do you charge for letters and phone calls to my spouse’s lawyer or me?
- Will I be billed for communication via email or phone?
- Will there be extra fees if my divorce does go to the court?
3. Questions about the divorce process
When you clarify to yourself the lawyer’s credibility and the price, you should learn the facts about the process itself. This set of questions is probably the most important because it regards the actual steps and phases. According to Adrian H. Altshuler & Associates, people often go through the divorce process once in their lives and they are unfamiliar with how complex it can get. There are a lot of steps and for clients, it is important to get the answers to the following questions:
- Will I be informed of all developments in my case?
- Will you or another lawyer from the firm be handling my case?
- Will I be familiar with all developments in the process?
- Will I receive copies of all documents related to my case?
- Will you clarify and explain all legal terms regarding the divorcee to me?
Conclusion
To sum up, filing for divorce requires a lot of work, but luckily you don’t have to do deal with all that stress alone. You should have legal protection and someone who is an expert when it comes to this sort of thing. If you are worried that you are asking too many questions, don’t let that stop you because the lawyers are used to it. After all, you are not trained in the law, and you are making one of the most important decisions in your life!
