What to Bring to Your Meeting With a Divorce Attorney
The first meeting with your divorce attorney is important, as it is your chance to get clarity on where your case stands. However, before your skilled family attorney can answer your questions, they will likely have questions of their own. You can help with this process by ensuring you provide them with all of the documentation needed to build your case.
Time is valuable for everyone involved. To get the most out of your initial consultation, here is what to bring to your meeting with a divorce attorney.
Personal Documents
A good place to start is with the documents related to the marriage itself. One of the key details an attorney needs to know is when and where the couple became legally married. Providing a copy of the marriage certificate is the simplest way to accomplish this.
Usually, there are no issues regarding the validity of a marriage. However, in some cases, Georgia courts might determine that the marriage was unlawful or void in the first place.
It is also a good idea to bring documents related to a spouse’s identity. This includes things like birth certificates and driver’s licenses. For non-citizens, it is also important to provide any relevant immigration documentation—especially if the soon-to-be former spouse is the visa sponsor.
Property Documents
If a married couple owns property together, it is helpful to bring documentation related to its ownership. This includes leases, mortgages, and real estate deeds.
It is a wise to bring documentation related to more than just the marital property both couples share, since disputes can arise over individual property as well. Providing documentation related to the ownership of that property helps avoid having the family court treat individual property as belonging to the spouses equally.
In addition to ownership documents, it is also helpful to provide the attorney with any agreements that apply to those assets. Specifically, it is necessary to provide an attorney with copies of any prenuptial or postnuptial agreements that were executed by the parties, as these agreements can have a major impact on how marital assets are defined or divided.
Employment Records
Your income and the assets you own play a major part in determining the outcome of your divorce case. This means an attorney will need to review all relevant employment records.
Be prepared to bring along pay stubs and tax returns to the initial meeting with a lawyer. This information can bring the attorney up to speed regarding your financial situation.
Other employment records may also be important. This includes documentation related to employment-based health insurance or pensions. If it is not possible to put this documentation together—especially when it relates to a spouse—it is helpful to make a list of documents needed.
Prepare for Your Divorce Case During an Attorney Consultation
To summarize, here is what to bring to your meeting with a divorce attorney:
- Marriage certificate;
- Proof of identification;
- Immigration papers, if applicable;
- Leases, mortgages, real estate deeds, etc.;
- Pay stubs, tax returns, and other employment records;
- And any marital agreements (prenuptial, postnuptial, or mid-marriage).
Keep in mind these are only a few of the important documents you should have access to. Thankfully, after hearing the details of your specific case, our team should be able to provide you with directions on any additional paperwork you will need. Reach out to the Atlanta Divorce Law Group to schedule a meeting with a dedicated member of our team.
