Questions to ask your divorce attorney – A divorce can often be a messy process, and as a result, having the best divorce lawyer in Toronto on your side does a world of good to help you get through this in the quickest and most concise manner. However, not just any divorce attorney is going to do, and it is important that you take care when you are picking out the right attorney for you. There are a lot of questions that you may need to ask your divorce attorney, and certain questions may be more or less important to bring up depending on the circumstances of your divorce case.
Important questions you should ask when picking your divorce attorney
The important thing to understand when picking out a lawyer is that you do not have to settle on the first divorce lawyer you find. Even if they may seem appealing, you are going to get the most benefit out of one if you consider your different options. Doing your homework is the best approach to take, even if a divorce attorney comes recommended by family, friends, and/or acquaintances at work.
The very first question you should ask anyone who advertises themselves as a divorce lawyer is whether that person has a specific specialty in divorce law, or if they simply have experience with it. There is a distinct difference between the two, which is why it is important. Experience is a big deal, but having a specialty means that you can, to some extent, trust that they will be able to help with getting your divorce case handled well. Speaking of, make sure you know how experienced they are with family law in particular, as the more they have done in that area, the better an idea you have of their successes, failures, and skill sets.
The next step to take is to try to determine what the plan of action a divorce lawyer intends to take if you decide to work with them. It is important that you two are on the same page as far as this case goes, as the more dispute and confusion between the two of you exists, the more difficult it will be for the outcome of the case to be satisfactory for you. You should also be aware of how long they expect your specific divorce case to last, as this can make a big difference for you. Granted, fast is not necessarily better, so do not just assume that the faster they can do it, the better they are. A fast lost is worse than a slow win, after all.
Next, you need to determine the level and quality of communication with the law firm. Figure out contact details that you should use either if it is an emergency and ask how long they take to return phone calls. Of course, this is not necessarily going to be a question that a lawyer will necessarily answer with 100 percent accuracy, but with a quality law firm, you likely will not have to worry that the law firm will leave you hanging when you call them. There are other factors, however, that can be used to try to determine whether they are good at returning phone calls without ever having to ask them. For instance, if your attempt to get in contact with them to set up a consultation in the first place proved to be a rather lengthy process, this may be indicative of a law firm that is either uninterested in getting in contact or unable to keep in contact with you in an expedient amount of time. Another option is to look up testimonials off website, which may talk about their responsiveness.
It is also important to have an idea of whom you will be working with. Sure, you have contact with the person with whom you are doing the consultation, but that does not mean that they are the only people involved. In fact, you should assume that there may well be several people working on your case. Ask about their details and try to get an idea of the level of experience these employees have under their belt. If you like, you can even talk to the lawyer about potentially meeting with these other employees.
Money is an important factor while pursuing a divorce lawyer, and if you still feel confident in this lawyer during the consultation, it is the perfect time to bring it up. Ask the lawyer about their hourly rate, their retainer, and whether the hourly rate applies when you are dealing with people associated with the lawyer, such as paralegals and secretaries. You should also figure out how the lawyer is going to handle charging you, and when. The lawyer can also provide input as to other costs that may come up during the divorce case; these may include private investigators, physicians, and others of whom the lawyer may employ the services. Finally, the big question: what does the lawyer expect the total cost of the divorce case will be? While this is an obvious question to ask, it is not necessarily a question that will receive a satisfactory answer. This is mainly due to the fact that no divorce case is going to be the same, and as such, your divorce case may have expenses that you, nor your lawyer, could have anticipated. Lawyers tend to be careful with their wording and what they tell their clients, so they are going to err on the side of caution. Ultimately however, the various costs you asked them about are likely going to give you a decent enough idea of what you may have to pay in the end.
There are various miscellaneous things you can ask a lawyer as well, and one common question that lawyers are often asked is ways for the client to reduce the costs associated with the divorce case down, as well as whether the client is able to participate in the negotiation process.
Divorce law is something that may be handled differently depending on the state you reside in, and New Jersey is no exception to this. As such, one question that you should ask of any New Jersey divorce lawyers is for clarification on any questions or concerns you may have about how it’s handled there. For instance, a common question that divorce lawyers are asked in New Jersey is how the state handles the distribution of assets. Different states handle this differently; while some states distribute the assets on a 50-50 basis, New Jersey distributes the assets based on equitable distribution. The courts go through a three-step process to determine how the distribution is handled. The first step involves figuring out what assets are even up for distribution, which typically involves assets acquired while you were married to your spouse. These assets can include the marital home, automobiles, finances (which may include stock options, bonuses, lottery winnings, etc.), and other forms of property. The next step is to determine how much value the collective eligible property amounts to, and finally, the court figures out how these assets should be distributed, making a point of doing so equitably to ensure that neither party is left in need.