Though many people associate divorce lawyers with a divorce filing, obtaining an attorney’s guidance beforehand can be invaluable. You don’t need to be ready to file before you retain counsel.
Hiring an attorney does not mean that you’ve decided to divorce. In fact, working with a divorce attorney early on can give you the clarity you’ll need to make the decision. Good divorce attorneys do not push you toward divorce—they want you to have the information you need to make whatever decision that’s best for you.
Hiring a Lawyer Before Filing for Divorce
Many clients at Rigden, Lieberman & Mignogna, P.A. work with us to decide whether to divorce. In our pre-divorce planning work, we tailor our work to each client’s situation and questions.
Below are some of the most common services and advice we provide to those contemplating divorce:
Share Divorce Law Basics
Some people considering divorce want to understand the differences between legal separation and divorce. Others ask us to give them a sense of how courts view alimony, property division, custody, and child support.
Our clients tell us that getting their background questions answered allows them the clarity to focus on the most critical decision: whether to stay in their marriage.
Explaining the Divorce Timeline
Another item people ask when trying to decide whether to divorce is what the timeline looks like. This can include how quickly the court you’d be filing in moves and a discussion of the factors that tend to impact a divorce’s timeline.
Understanding the range and the factors for how long a potential divorce might take allows you to refocus on what you truly want for your life and whether that includes remaining married.
Guidance On Divorce Methods and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
Some people anticipate a high-conflict divorce and want to understand how that might unfold in their case. Rigden Lieberman’s attorneys practice in all divorce modalities and can analyze and describe the specific pros and cons as they relate to each client.
Pre-Divorce Planning
Once you’ve learned more about what you can expect from the divorce process, it can also be helpful to put together a pre-divorce plan in the event that you decide to divorce. Having a plan will eliminate variables and provide you with confidence and clarity.
Document Gathering
In some cases, it makes sense prior to filing to gather documents, such as financial records or prenuptial agreements, that are required during the divorce. This proactive approach gives you time to look for things that might be harder to lay your hands on. It also takes something off your plate during the divorce.
Strategy for Telling Your Spouse and Service
We work with some people to pre-plan their strategy for how, when, and where they will tell their spouse. If there are any safety or health concerns, a coordinated plan is even more essential. Again, it all depends on each couple’s individual circumstances and personalities.
Service Document Preparation
Sometimes, we prepare the documents that officially begin a divorce to have them on hand if and when our client decides to file. We create a customized plan and are ready to execute it if and when our client tells us to move forward.
Next Steps
Hiring a divorce lawyer before deciding to file for divorce can provide numerous benefits, ranging from understanding your legal rights and options to understanding the timeline and different divorce options.
Their experienced guidance can provide you with the clarity you need about some complexities of divorce so that you can refocus on making the most important decision: if you want to stay in your marriage.
How to Start Your First Steps
Maybe you’re considering divorce. Maybe your spouse has brought the subject up. Perhaps one of you has filed for divorce already, or you are struggling with a problem involving divorce, separation, or custody of your children from this marriage or a previous marriage.
Your first step is to talk to us. If you’re not sure you want to divorce, talk to us anyway.
We often meet with people who are still weighing their options. We will provide the information you need to understand your options, reduce your stress, and plan a way forward. We’ll help you avoid the risks of making decisions about your future, your children, and your finances without real and accurate information, and we’ll help you retain calm and control in an otherwise chaotic situation.
At Your Initial Client Conference
We’ll get to know you.
We’ll learn about your family, your situation, and the things that matter most to you. The better we understand our client’s values and goals, the more effective we are at helping you build a better future.
We’ll help you understand your options.
When we talk with you, our goal is to help you gain an understanding of how to move forward, as well as a vision of the future you want to build. Once you can picture your future, you can start to build a clear strategy that will empower you to make smart decisions about whether and how to approach divorce.
You’ll start to see the new life you’re moving toward, and we’ll be here to usher you to it with knowledge, understanding, and security.
Contact Rigden Lieberman to Schedule an Initial Client Conference
Rigden Lieberman’s first step—the Initial Client Conference—is designed to get to the heart of your problem and unveil your true goals for your life. Once we discover your goals, we take all of our collective experience in the realm of divorce to build a customized strategy for you.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation. We are here to help.
