Divorce Attorney Consultation Questions
There are many questions an attorney asks during a consultation. Part of the consultation is gathering information to be used during the divorce proceedings, but for the attorney to answer your questions properly during the consultation, he must have answers to certain questions. Completing a full questionnaire also allows the attorney to start immediately working on your divorce, especially if there are emergency actions that need to be taken.
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Personal Information
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All personal information should be filed out on the questionnaire. This includes your name and your spouse's names, addresses, emails and phone numbers. Most attorneys will also request your social security number and your spouse's social security number in this section, as in most states, a case cannot be filed without filing a Notice of Social Security Number. If you have no intention of retaining the attorney on that day, you should still fill in all the information so that it is readily available should you call back at a later time to retain him. You can save money by not having to repeat the consultation if all your information is in order.
Financial Information
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An attorney may ask for financial information via the consult questionnaire or he may ask you directly, during the consultation. Financial information is important, especially if you need immediate relief, such as child support or alimony. If you are not sure what your spouse makes, take your best guess, and write "est." next to his salary. The attorney also wants to know how you are going to pay for his services. If you do not work, make sure to let the attorney know so that he can ask for attorneys' fees and costs from your spouse.
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Marital Information
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Answer all questions regarding marital information. Common questions in this section (which may be presented to you on a questionnaire or asked of you directly) are: the date of marriage, date of separation, how long you were married and the place you were married. Be prepared to give the city, county and state you were married in. You will also need to provide the attorney with the amount of time you have been living in the state if you were married outside the state.
Children's Information
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The attorney will also ask for information about your children. All information is pertinent, as the attorney needs to complete a Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act form as part of the divorce. You will need to provide the children's names, ages, birth dates, social security numbers and places they were born. If the children were the subject of another family law case (such as a domestic violence between you and your spouse where child support was ordered) you must provide that information to the attorney. You can save money by bringing an extra copy of the pleadings in that case, so the attorney does not have to take the time to get them at the clerk's office.
Outcome
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Some attorneys will ask you to provide a short narrative, either written or verbal, of the expected outcome of the case. Questions may include questions about the marital home, vehicles, other assets, custody and visitation, and alimony issues.
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