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What to Expect During an Initial Consultation for a Divorce in Orlando, Florida

There was an interesting article by Emma Darley titled “Help your divorce lawyer to help you: What I need to tell my divorce lawyer during the first appointment.” In the article, Darley states that embarking on a divorce can be a distressing and sobering thought. The author says it is normal to feel overwhelmed and anxious. When you go through the divorce process, there are many things to consider, such as children, finances, the house, the savings, pension, where will you live, and what happens to the pets. Many people have concerns that if they move out of their house that they abandon their rights to the house. Many of these can be figured out during the initial consultation. 

Initial Consultation for a Divorce

At the initial consultation, you will discuss the facts of your case with the attorney. Make sure you know the date of the marriage and how many years you have been married, as well as the dates of birth and social security numbers of you, your spouse, and the children. These items will help you get the process started. Here are a few of the more detailed items the attorney is likely to look into at the start of your case.

Children 

Regarding the children, the attorney may ask who takes care of the children, how you are currently timesharing with the children, and whether you have discussed future timesharing plans. 

They may ask whether the children attend private school. If so, the next questions will be whether you want them to continue in private school and if you can afford private school after the divorce. The attorney will ask who pays for the children’s health care insurance and whether the children are in day care and, if so, who pays for it. 

Career

Looking into your careers and background will be the next step. The attorney will want to know how much you and your spouse make. If one of you is unemployed, the attorney may want to know what jobs you have had in the last five years and how much you made. They will want to know your education history, as well. 

Finances 

The next discussion will be based on finances. They will want to know if you had assets and debts prior to the marriage. They may ask if you inherited anything during the marriage or received any gifts during the marriage and how those assets are currently titled. 

Assets

After working on finances, there will be a deeper dive into assets. The attorney will ask about the value of your house and whether there are mortgages or equity lines of credit on the house. Then, they will ask about assets and debts, such as credit card debt, car loans, other loans, pensions, brokerage accounts, stocks, bonds, Bitcoin, cash etc. The following statutes may come up in conversation: Florida Statute 61.075 on Equitable Distribution, 61.08 on Alimony, 61.16 on Attorney’s Fees, and 61.13 on Best Interest of the Child. 

This is an idea of what you can expect when you first talk with an attorney regarding a divorce in the Orlando, Florida area. If you have more questions regarding a Marital and Family Law matter, you may call Ann Marie Giordano Gilden at Ann Marie Giordano Gilden, P.A. at 407-732-7620 and set an initial consultation. 

This article is for informational purposes only and does not form an attorney client privilege.