How to Find an Attorney for Your Family Law Case in Arizona? PART 1
Finding an attorney is not something that you do every day. This is why it’s so difficult for many people to find a good attorney. You can’t just choose the first lawyer that you find. Of course, you also don’t want to move too far ahead without having an attorney. Below, we’ll be looking at the divorce roadmap that you will want to follow and how you can find a great attorney.
Although it’s a difficult time, you need to take a breath, step back, and start thinking about what you need. If you don’t, you might just stumble through the divorce process and end up in a place that you don’t want to be.
In Part 1 of this article, we will be looking at some of the most important things that you will need to do as you are getting ready to go through your divorce. In Part 2, we will be digging into what it takes to find the right attorney that can help with your divorce. For now, let’s look at the steps you will want to take when you are planning for the divorce.
Your Goals and Resources
First, you need to think about your goals and your resources. Where do you want to end up? What are you trying to accomplish with the divorce? What’s most important to you? Think about your resources, as well. Time is a resource that you can’t forget about. Will you be able to take certain actions on your own, or will you need to have some help? Will you have access to all of the documents and information that you might need? How familiar are you with your financial situation?
You also have to think about the emotional support resources that you have. This would include your family and friends. It will also include the other people that you have in your corner, such as an attorney, a document preparer, a divorce coach, a therapist, etc. Take the time to figure out everything available to you.
Plan Your Finances
Next, you will need to think about your budget. What does it look like right now? How much does it cost to run your household? What will it cost when you are no longer living with your partner? You need to have a financial plan in place. Often, this will mean rethinking your budget and living smaller. Don’t spend as much. During divorce and after divorce, saving is often very important. It’s better to have some time where you aren’t spending as much, so you can save the money for a rainy day.
Planning for Custody
If you have children, you will also need to be sure that you have a plan in place for custody. In Arizona, the state tends to favor equal parenting time and joint custody. If you know that this is important to your spouse, then the options on where you can live will be affected. It means that you likely won’t be able to move to another part of the state if you hope to have equal parenting time. It would be too difficult to get the kids to and from school, for example. This is something that you will want to think about before you determine where you will go and live.
Assess Your Balance Sheet
You must take the time to determine what you have in terms of assets and what you have in terms of debt. You need to have a good idea of everything that will end up being divided during the divorce and how it might work. Making a list early can help you get a better sense of what you will want to fight for and what you might be willing to give up if needed.
Protect Yourself
Protecting yourself means that you will need to have a safe and secure place where you can live. It also means that you want to secure your profiles and passwords online. If you and your ex were sharing passwords before, it’s time that you changed the passwords to your accounts.
Putting Together the Support Team
As mentioned earlier, you need to have a good support team when you are going through a divorce. It’s not easy, even if you were the one that initiated the divorce. Going through a divorce is trauma even when you know it’s the better decision and you are getting out of a bad marriage. Therefore, having the right people around will make a big difference.
What If You Need to Get Out Now
The above tips are beneficial for those who have the luxury of planning their divorce. However, this is not always an option for everyone. Sometimes, you need to get out right now. It might be that you are not in a safe place or that it’s no longer possible to bear being around the other person emotionally. In those cases, it will be better to get out of the situation and then go through the steps discussed above.
Can You Do This Without an Attorney?
It depends. In some cases, there may be certain things you can do on your own. If you have a relatively simple situation and there aren’t many problems to solve, then it might be possible. However, this is rarely the case. Although you might be able to do certain things, having the help and guidance of an experienced family law attorney will be a major benefit.
Of course, this means that you need to take the time to find the perfect attorney that knows and understands family law in Arizona. As mentioned, you can’t just choose the first attorney that you find. You need to put in a bit of work, so you can make sure that you have the best attorney on your side. In Part 2 of this article, we will delve into the most important things you can do when you are preparing to find an attorney.
