Essential Info

What to Do

• Important considerations

Your decision to file for a divorce is one of the most difficult and important decisions you will make. It will affect essentially every aspect of your life including your personal relationships (especially your family and friends), your financial security, your job, as well as your financial future. We here at Leonardo and Roach hope that our website offers you some of the basic facts and some essential information about the divorce process and the many complicated issues involved in most divorce or family law cases.

We believe that the more information you have about the divorce process, and the relevant issues involved in that process, the better prepared you will be to get through the experience. There are many things to keep in mind when considering a divorce. Here are a few:

• Do you Want to Save the Marriage? There are many resources available which can aid you in your attempt to reconcile your differences with your spouse.
• Which Issues Can You Agree Upon? The more issues that you and your spouse can resolve, the more amicable and less costly your divorce will be. However, attorneys and judges are sometimes needed to facilitate the process.
• What Custodial Arrangement is Best? Although the process of divorce is difficult, both parties should focus on the long term interests of the children.
• Choosing Your Attorney: This is an important decision and should not be undertaken lightly. Your initial consultation is very important. Understand the fee structure and the amount to be paid in advance and whether an advance payment (retainer) is refundable if part of it is not used. If you don't feel completely comfortable with your attorney during the initial meeting, cancel the arrangement and move on.
• Prepare for the Meeting With Your Attorney: If you decide that filing for divorce is your best option one of the first things you should do is prepare for your initial consultation with your attorney.
1. Make a list or inventory of the assets that you own
2. List items of personal property that the other person has that you want back, or certain things you want to make sure you get.
3. List all debts you know about, including amounts, monthly payments, account numbers, interest rates, etc.
4. Bring copies of your financial records, including account statements, loan documents, pay stubs, tax returns and bills.