There is a lot on the line when it comes to your divorce. You may have to fight for certain property, financial support, and custody rights, to name a few. This is why you must take your proceedings seriously, starting with your initial consultation. Without further ado, read on to discover what documents you should take to your initial consultation with a seasoned Bergen County divorce attorney at McNerney & McAuliffe.
What documents should I prepare for my initial consultation with a divorce lawyer?
You must come to your initial consultation prepared so that your divorce lawyer can quickly establish what you want and need the outcome of your divorce to be. From here, they can work on your behalf in building a strong argument. That said, you should bring the following documents with you:
- A copy of your marriage certificate (which can establish that you were legally married in the first place).
- Copies of your tax returns, pay stubs, and employment records (which can establish that you need spousal support and/or child support).
- Copies of your mortgage documents and debts documents (which can establish the debts that you and your former spouse are both responsible for paying off).
- A copy of your prenuptial agreement or post-nuptial agreement, if applicable (which can establish who gets what marital property in the event of a divorce).
- Any documentation that can establish your ownership over your separate property (which can establish what property gets excluded from equitable distribution).
- Any documentation that can establish your former spouse’s fault in the marriage (which can establish your fault grounds for a divorce).
What else should I prepare?
A divorce is the first time many individuals ever undergo legal proceedings. If this is your case, then it is understandable if you are nervous going into your initial consultation. But what may help clear your head is if you jot down a list of questions you have for your divorce lawyer. You must not be too timid to ask any question, as your lawyer will not find anything too frivolous to answer. That said, common questions that clients ask at initial consultations are as follows:
- How long are my divorce proceedings going to take?
- How much are my divorce proceedings going to cost me?
- How do I protect my children during my divorce proceedings?
- How do I avoid social media during my divorce proceedings?
- What other options do I have besides divorce litigation?
- What other documents should I collect to support my argument?
As you may likely conclude yourself, you have an important case on your hands that requires immediate action. So you should not hesitate in reaching out to a competent Bergen County family law attorney from McNerney & McAuliffe.
