Free Divorce Information

You have already made one of the most difficult decisions of your life. You have made the decision to dissolve your marriage and proceed with a divorce. Just deciding on the type of divorce to undergo can be quite challenging. Once you settle on a collaborative divorce you are really starting to make some headway. Although this difficult part is over, this does not mean you are already in the clear. You still have one more very important decision to make. You have to select a collaborative divorce attorney. This is a very important selection because this will be the person you are relying on to help you navigate the divorce process.

Questions to Ask before you Hire a Collaborative Divorce Attorney

You want to make sure you are selecting the right attorney for your collaborative divorce. The following questions will help you determine if a particular attorney will meet your needs:

1. Do you specialize in the collaborative divorce process? This is an important because an attorney who specializes in this process is likely to be more successful in helping you not only to resolve your divorce quickly but also to get your spouse to agree to your terms.

2. What will be your strategy during the process? You want to be sure this strategy coincides with your expectations for reaching an agreement.

3. When I call with questions, how quickly can I expect you to respond? This question will help you determine how important you are to the attorney. Ideally, the attorney will answer all of your questions within 24 hours. This demonstrates he is making you, and your divorce, a priority.

4. How long have you been practicing collaborative divorce? Although every attorney has to get a start somewhere, it is best to go with an attorney who has some experience. This is important because attorneys learn from experience.

5. How are your divorce cases usually resolved? Ideally, the collaborative attorney will be able to get the spouse to agree to his client’s terms. If he has a history of doing this, it is a good indication he will be successful in your divorce as well.

6. What do you charge? You should know whether your collaborative divorce attorney will be charging you hourly, weekly, monthly or on a per project basis. You should also have a good indication beforehand of how long the divorce will take. Although you do not want to make price your deciding factor it does have to be a factor which is seriously considered.

7. What additional fees can I expect to incur during the divorce process? Cost such as hiring a private investigator or a forensic account should also be considered before you make a decision.

Questions to Ask during the Collaborative Divorce Process

Just because you have already hired a collaborative divorce attorney does not mean you can stop asking questions. You should ask questions throughout the process to make sure you understand everything that is going on. Asking questions will also help you to determine whether or not the attorney is operating in your best interests. During the divorce process always take the time to ask questions such as:

1. How will this affect the outcome? With every move the attorney makes, you need to know why he is doing what he is doing. Ideally every request or concession is made in an attempt to come to terms that favor you. Unfortunately some collaborative lawyers are more interested in swift resolution so be on the lookout for this.

2. Can this meeting be changed? You have entered into the collaborative divorce process because you want to be fully involved in your divorce. This means, if a meeting is scheduled for a time when you are unavailable, it is up to you to request a change in time. Although you may trust your attorney to act on your behalf the only way to ensure you completely agree with everything that is said is to be there yourself.

3. Can I help you find information? Your attorney may suggest hiring a private investigator but, in some cases, you can be the best private investigator. For example a private will not be able to access your spouse’s home computer to gather evidence but you can.