The first hour with your attorney is often the most valuable time your Family Law attorney will spend with you. Your attorney will gather the facts of your case, identify the issues that need to be addressed immediately and those that are not as urgent but still need attention. If you provide enough documents and information about the facts in your case, your attorney should be able to give you a fair assessment of your marital estate, the approximate level of support if the facts warrant it and tell you an approximate mid point for settling or splitting the marital estate.
There are facts that can make finding the mid-point more complex. For example, if one spouse contributed significant money they earned prior to the marriage to a major purchase, such as the marital residence, the contributing spouse gets a greater portion of the equity pursuant to the equitable distribution statute. As you can see, your attorney is better equipped to give you a more accurate settling point if you provide as much of the information as possible.
Virginia has a no-fault means for getting divorced but the commonwealth also still has fault grounds for divorce, such as: adultery, abandonment, cruelty and abuse. A fault ground divorce must be proven not just alleged. To prove adultery, you will need to provide pictures or witness testimony to a court. If you believe your spouse has committed one of Virginia’s recognized faults as grounds for divorce, bring whatever you have that demonstrates that so your attorney can evaluate that aspect of your case.
To assure that your meeting with your attorney is productive, you will need to bring certain items so that your attorney has the necessary information to make a meaningful assessment and leave you armed with the information you need to make decisions.
The following is a list of items that will assist your attorney in assessing your case:
1. Full name of both parties
2. Current home addresses and telephone numbers of both parties**
3. Names of employers, employers addresses and telephone numbers**
4. Dates of birth, places of birth*
5. Social Security Numbers, driver’s license numbers for both parties**
6. Your private e-mail address
7. Levels of education of each party*
8. Health insurance information, including policy name and number**
9. Date of marriage, place of marriage (city/county/state)*
10. Date of separation*
11. Address of former marital home*
12. Your children’s names, dates of birth and last 4 digits of their social security #**
13. List of all assets acquired from date of marriage to date of separation
14. A copy of the latest statements of all accounts, banking, retirement, 401K, etc.
15. Information about any real estate owned, ie. HUD1 or purchase price, date,
mortgage payoff, monthly mortgage amount
16. A copy of the latest debt or credit card statements for all debt
17. Any agreed-upon terms of separation or distribution of property
18. Any agreement on custody or visitation arrangements
19. A list of the basic household expenses each month
20. A copy of ALL pleadings and correspondence in your case
* Items required to be sent to Richmond, VA, for statistical recording in all divorces.
**Items required or any support order filed in court.
*Forget about stupidity, discover your ability.
Posted by: Taobao buy | January 17, 2011 at 01:28 AM