{"id":1488,"date":"2020-01-08T00:00:01","date_gmt":"2020-01-08T00:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fdfamilylaw.wpenginepowered.com\/?p=1488"},"modified":"2026-05-05T06:04:44","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T06:04:44","slug":"meeting-with-your-divorce-attorney","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fdfamilylaw.com\/meeting-with-your-divorce-attorney\/","title":{"rendered":"Meeting with Your Divorce Attorney For the First Time"},"content":{"rendered":"

Meeting with your divorce attorney for the first time can feel overwhelming.\u00a0 Sometimes, the meeting is predicated on a sincere desire to file for divorce.\u00a0 Other times, a divorce attorney is a necessity, as the other spouse has expressed a desire to divorce.\u00a0 Obviously, in either situation, meeting with your divorce attorney for the first time may be associated with a range of feelings, from sadness to anger to excitement to bewilderment to a combination of feelings \u2013 which may change on a daily, or even hourly basis.<\/p>\n

Before meeting with your divorce attorney for the first time, there are several steps you can take to prepare yourself.\u00a0 It will also make the appointment move more efficiently.\u00a0 As a preliminary matter, it is a good idea to speak with your divorce attorney\u2019s legal team.\u00a0 There may be a standard check list of \u201cthings to bring to the first meeting.\u201d \u00a0Of course, it is a good idea to collect everything the law firm requests for the first meeting.\u00a0 Understand that family law attorneys charge by the hour.\u00a0 Each time they have to ask for a document, you are paying them to request it.\u00a0 There is no need to pay them more than once.\u00a0 Get your hands on requested documents, or figure out how you can get them, as soon as humanly possible.<\/p>\n

Write a List of Questions<\/h2>\n

No doubt you have dozens, perhaps hundreds of questions.\u00a0 \u201cWhat will happen to the children?\u201d \u201cCan I afford to keep the house?\u201d \u201cCan I get maintenance during the pendency of the divorce?\u201d \u201cIf he cheated on me, can I get more alimony?\u201d\u00a0 The list of potential questions is endless.\u00a0 Your attorney will be able to answer some of your questions immediately.\u00a0 Other questions may require investigation and negotiation in order to determine the answer.\u00a0 In any event, it is a good idea to write your questions down.\u00a0 This accomplishes several goals.\u00a0 First, it ensures that you have committed the random questions that occurred to you over the course of the days leading up to the meeting.\u00a0 Once you\u2019ve written them down, you can organize them according to topic.<\/p>\n

Divorce topics generally include the following categories:<\/p>\n