Child custody disputes are difficult, highly emotional experiences. You want to do what is best for your children, and in some cases that can mean fighting a long and fraught legal battle. Although the road ahead may seem long, the first step to ultimately resolving your dispute is a consultation with your attorney. If you have never been involved in a legal case before, preparing for this first meeting can be intimidating. Luckily, there are steps you can take to prepare for your consultation that will help it to go as smoothly as possible and help to get your case started on the right track.
Make a Documentation Checklist
Bringing relevant documentation is vital for any meeting with a lawyer, but it is especially important if your child custody case has already begun and you already have court issued documents. Make a list of any documentation that you believe will be relevant to your case and be sure to gather all of it before your first consultation. If you have any doubt at all, call your attorney's office and offer to provide them your list. They can help you to determine if you may require any additional documentation that you have no already prepared.
Prepare a Notebook
Before your consultation, be prepared to spend a significant amount of time thinking of any important questions that you want to ask your attorney. Keep a notebook specifically for keeping track of information regarding your case, and begin that notebook with these questions. Additionally, try to think of any information that may be relevant to your case. This should even include details that you believe may be harmful to you, as it is extremely important that your attorney be aware of facts that may be used against you.
Bring your notes to your consultation so that you can be sure to have all of your questions answered. The other information that you have prepared will be useful as well, as it will guarantee that your attorney gets as many relevant facts about your case as possible up front. Not only will this help your attorney to pursue your case, it may save you money by removing the need for extra consultations in the future.
Avoid Discussing Your Case with Others
Although it can be tempting to talk about your case with friends or family members, it is best to avoid discussing details until you have had at least a single consultation with your attorney. Discussions that seem harmless at the time can ultimately be very damaging to your case. In particular, you should avoid any mention of your child custody battle at all on social media or other public platforms.
Contact a lawyer, like Patricia L Riddick PLLC Atty, for more help.
After I was with some people who robbed a store, I was placed in a really bad situation. I was being accused of committing the bulk of the crime, but I knew I was innocent. I started working with a criminal attorney for help, and it was the difference I needed to prove my innocence. I decided to start a new blog that centered around defending yourself, because whether you like it or not, it may be necessary from time to time. Check out these posts for great information on working with lawyers when you need to fight for your rights in court.