Documents You Should Bring When Meeting with a Divorce Attorney

Posted on December 07, 2023 10:08am

Preparing for your initial meeting with a divorce attorney can be overwhelming. You may feel unsure about what documents to bring to adequately represent your case. This guide will walk you through the range of documents you should consider bringing to your first meeting. By thoroughly preparing these documents, you can facilitate a more productive discussion with your attorney, ensuring they are fully informed about your situation. Your careful preparation will also provide a foundation for your attorney to establish a strategic plan for your case.

Documents Related to Income

Income-related documents are crucial to take to your first meeting with a divorce attorney. These documents provide a clear snapshot of your financial situation, which plays a significant role in divorce proceedings. They can impact decisions around child support, spousal support, and the division of assets and liabilities. Without a clear understanding of your income, your attorney may face challenges in advocating effectively for your financial interests.

Types of income-related documents to bring can include:

Recent pay stubs
W-2s and/or 1099s from the past few years
Tax returns from the last three years
Bank statements, particularly those showing direct deposits from an employer
Statements from investment accounts
Documentation of any additional income, such as rental income, dividends, or bonuses.

Debt-related documents are just as important as income statements to bring to your first consultation with a divorce attorney. These records provide essential information about shared liabilities that could influence the division of assets and debts in your divorce settlement. It's crucial for your attorney to understand the complete picture of your financial situation, which includes any outstanding debts such as mortgages, credit card debts, student loans, or personal loans. An accurate representation of both you and your spouse's debts will help your attorney advocate effectively for a fair distribution of financial responsibilities in the divorce proceedings.

Documents Related to Previously Filed Agreements

If you have previously filed agreements, such as prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, including these in your documentation can be instrumental in your divorce proceeding. These legally binding documents outline the distribution of assets, debts, and other financial responsibilities agreed upon by both parties prior to or during their marriage.

These agreements can provide your divorce attorney a clear roadmap of how you and your spouse had intended to divide your assets and liabilities and streamline the divorce process significantly—potentially reducing disputes regarding asset distribution, thereby saving you time, stress, and legal fees. In essence, these documents can offer a critical context that enables your attorney to better understand your situation and advocate for your interests effectively.

Evidence to Strengthen Arguments for Custody or Support Agreements

Documents that might strengthen your custody or support interests or substantiate your claims are paramount when meeting with a divorce attorney. They may demonstrate your role as an involved, caring parent or illustrate your financial need or capacity for providing support. Remember, concrete, documented evidence is more convincing than verbal assertions in a court of law. The more demonstrable proof you have of your engagement in your child's life, or the needs/capacity for support, the stronger your case is likely to be. These documents will not only provide your attorney with essential information, but they can also shape the direction and strategy of your case, influencing the likelihood of a favorable outcome.

Types of documents can include:

Records of your child's medical and educational history
Text messages, emails, or other forms of communication between you and your spouse related to parenting
A calendar of time spent with the child
Financial records indicating child-related expenses
Documentation of any domestic violence, substance abuse, or other issues that may impact the other parent’s fitness for custody.

Don’t Forget a List of Questions

Bringing a written list of questions to your first meeting with a divorce attorney is immensely beneficial. This list serves as a guide to ensure that all your concerns are addressed, allowing you to make the most of your consultation. The complexities of divorce proceedings can often be overwhelming, leading to potentially forgetting key questions during the meeting. Having them written down ensures you gain clarity on all relevant issues, from the details of the legal process to potential outcomes. Furthermore, your attorney's responses to these questions can provide you with valuable insights into their expertise and approach, aiding in your decision-making process about whether this attorney is the right fit for your case.

Contact McKinley Irvin online or call 206-397-0399 to schedule a consultation with a family law attorney. Our Client Services team can provide information on how to prepare.