The Decision to Divorce

First of all, you should be absolutely sure that your marriage is beyond saving. If you are uncertain you should encourage your spouse to join you in marriage counseling with a qualified counselor acceptable to you both.

If you find that you are experiencing emotional problems, please employ a professional counselor for your personal benefit. Your attorney is a specialist in law, not psychology, and a counselor can help you with emotional problems much more effectively than your attorney.

Some people hope that filing for a divorce will shock their spouse into a reality and, therefore, save the marriage. While filing for a divorce sometimes saves the marriage, this is a rarity. Usually, it causes the other spouse to become more hostile. The filing of a divorce should be done with the realization that if you are asking for a divorce, that is what you will probably get.

Attorney and Client

This is your case, not your attorney's. There are a great number of things that you can do during your case.

Be Informed
You shuold be as informed and involved in your case as possible. It is important that your attorney understand exactly what you want. It is equally important that you understand exactly what the attorney can and cannot do for you. Do not hesitate to ask questions.

Keep a File
Please establish a file in which to keep your divorce related documents. Please bring this file with you each time that you visit your attorney's office.

Tell Your Attorney the Truth
You should be totally honest with your attorney. It is equally important that you give him all information which may help yuor case and all information that might be harmful to your case. If there are bad facts, your attorney needs to hug the ugly baby.

You need to know that any time you are places under oath, you will be required to tell the truth. If you do not tell the truth, you subject yourself to criminal perjury charges.

Information Gathering
Facts are the heart of any lawsuit. You have knowledge of your property; your attorney does not. Before you meet with your attorney it is a good idea to have knowledge of assets and debts. Please know, or be able to find out, a legal description of any real estate, and VIN numbers for your vehicles. Please have information that can specifically identify any retirement accounts that you may have. Please know the account numbers of your credit cards. If you do not have this information when you first meet with your attorney, please be prepared to acquire these facts for your attorney.

Attorney-Client Relations

First things first, no final settlement of your case will be made without your approval and consent. You should have a say in all major decisions. However, your attorney will make other decisions such as how to phrase allegations in your pleadings.

You and your attorney have a very special relationship. Your attorney owes 100 percent of his allegiance to you. Your attorney is required to represent you zealously, but within the bounds of the law.

Do not be upset if you find your attorney dealing with your spouse's attorney on a daily basis. Good lawyers are perfectly capable of zealously defending and promoting their client's best interest without becoming personal enemies. One of the reasons you hire a lawyer is to have someone on your side who has legal expertise and who can remain objective. You want your lawyer to use his head and to remain cool.

Kirk & Williams: Attorneys at Law - 200 N. Loraine St. Suite# 1224 - Midland, TX 79701 - Office: 432.687.5035
Midland, Texas Divorce Lawyer