Preparing For Your Initial Consultation With A California Family Law Attorney

In this article, you can discover…

• What documents to bring with you to an initial consultation.
• How to make the most of your initial consultation.
• How to know if an attorney is a good fit for your divorce case.

What Documents Or Information Should I Bring With Me To An Initial Consultation?

Before you come in, we’ll have talked on the phone, and I’ll tell you what you’ll need to bring based on your situation. If you have any financial documents, such as bank statements, you can bring those, and I’ll let you know what other financial documents I’ll need along the way.

If you have emails or text messages related to custody disputes, save, print, and bring those, as well. I strongly urge you to print out these communications and store them on a computer beforehand, as trying to see and make sense of a cellphone screenshot can be very difficult. Get a pdf scanner for your phone so any document you need to preserve will easily read.

What Questions Should I Be Prepared To Answer During The Consultation?

Be honest about your situation; the good, the bad, and the ugly. I won’t be able to draft divorce documents or properly advise you if you sugarcoat your marriage or gloss over your and your spouse’s background and issues. Be prepared to reveal everything about your marriage so that a solid, strong argument can be crafted on your behalf.

How Can I Make The Most Of My Initial Meeting With A Family Law Attorney?

Write down any questions you have beforehand that you want answered. Also, have a realistic sense of what you earn, and be prepared to relay basic financial information to your attorney. If you have children and have an idea of what kind of custody schedule you’d like or are considering, write that down and bring it along, as well.

How Do I Know If The Attorney I Meet With Is The Right Fit For My Family Law Situation?

If you believe this person will be a good fit, they likely will be. As an attorney, I’m kind of folksy with my clients. I tell them the truth about their case. I’ll outline the positives and negatives and help you prepare in advance.

For example, I may advise you to start doing random drug tests now to prove you’re not using, if that may come up during your case. If you have a criminal record, there are ways to handle that. Just because you’ve committed a crime doesn’t mean you’re not a good parent.

You want an attorney who’s realistic, easy to talk to, and who will be proactive in helping you get out ahead of any issues in your background, marriage, or criminal past.

Notes From The Field: Giving A Good Father A Second Chance

I had a client who punched his wife in church and did eight months in prison for it. He was a respected school administrator at a school and a deacon in his church. He had 50-50 custody, and his wife had taken the daughter and stopped returning his calls.

One thing lead to another and he jumped on his wife, punched her, and dislocated her jaw. He did eight months in prison, lost his job, lost his position in his church, and lost custody. When he got out of prison, he came to me to help him file to regain custody.

I informed the family law judge, who was a good judge, that this was a one-time event. He should not be defined as a father by that one day.

He went to reunification therapy, went on day trips with his daughter with the therapist present, and within four months got 50-50 custody back. With the right lawyer, we can take steps to rehabilitate, address issues, and present you in the best possible light.

But that process, to be truly successful, often takes an attorney’s help. If you’re facing a complex family law issue, reach out to me. Even if I don’t represent you, I can still offer initial advice and assist you with obtaining and filing the right documents.

Still Have Questions? Ready To Get Started?

For more information on initial family law consultations in California, an initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (510) 213-7665 today.