Making the decision to end your marriage is never an easy one, but something that can provide some comfort and peace of mind is knowing that you’re represented by a Mesa divorce lawyer. Before you jump the gun and hire just anyone, or initiate the process of filing for divorce, it’s important to get some big questions out of the way, first. Here’s a list of some of the most important questions to ask your divorce lawyer—
1. How Do You Charge?
Divorce is often expensive, especially if your divorce is contested (you and your spouse are in disagreement regarding how issues in your divorce should be resolved). While having an attorney on your side is invaluable, you should take the time to learn exactly how your attorney charges and how much legal services are going to cost you. The last thing that you want is to be saddled with a large bill at the conclusion of your divorce that you weren’t expecting.
2. Will I Need to Go to Court?
Many people wonder whether or not litigation is an inevitable part of the divorce process – it’s not. In fact, litigation is only necessary in the event that you and your spouse cannot come to an agreement about the terms of your divorce. Your attorney should be upfront and honest with you about this, as well as committed to aggressively representing you in negotiations in order to secure a positive outcome and mitigate court time. If you think that litigation will be necessary, be sure to ask how an attorney charges for in-courtroom time.
3. What Type of Experience Do You Have Handling Divorce Cases Like Mine?
Each divorce is unique, but many divorces have similar elements. For example, perhaps you’re a party in a high net worth marriage or have children and a partner who is set on getting full custody. Ask your attorney if they have managed cases like yours in the past, and if so, what the outcome of those cases has been. You want to work with an attorney who is confident in their ability to effectively manage your case.
4. How Are Issues Decided in a Divorce?
It’s very important that you have a working understanding of how issues in a divorce are resolved, including the issues of division of property, child custody, child support, and spousal maintenance/alimony. While couples do have the option of reaching an agreement about these issues on their own without intervention from the court–and are encouraged to do so–if an agreement cannot be reached, the court will make a determination based on the guidelines and requirements set forth in Arizona Code, Title 25 – Marital and Domestic Relations.
Schedule a Consultation Today
Seeking legal representation is always a good idea when getting a divorce, even if you and your spouse are on good terms and in agreement about the majority of issues in your divorce. At the law offices of Edwards & Petersen, PLC, our Mesa divorce lawyers are ready to sit down with you to discuss your case today. Please call us or send us a message at your convenience to get started.