Everyday Questions For Your Family Law Attorney In Douglas County, Nebraska
Posted By: Kelly Shattuck
What you will learn in this guide:
- Essential questions to ask when hiring an attorney for your legal separation case.
- What you should bring to your initial consultation with the legal separation attorney.
- How to maintain contact with the attorney throughout the case.
How Much Experience Do You Have In Nebraska Family Law?
One of the most important aspects of hiring a legal separation lawyer is understanding their experience and qualifications in the field.
I have been practicing for 11 years and have focused exclusively on family law throughout my career at our firm. We also have two other partners at the firm, Chris Vacanti, who is in his 32nd year of practice, and Kelly Shattuck, who is in his 31st year of practice. They have also focused on family law throughout their careers.
So, between the team, we have over 70 years of total experience, which, in large part, has been focused solely on the area of family law.
What Ways Do You Conduct Meetings With Clients (In Person Only, Zoom, Phone, Etc.)?
Contact and communication will be essential during the case. An attorney’s methods should be convenient and effective.
We strive to be open and available for any of those methods, depending on your preferences. We can meet in person, or handle meetings over the phone, via Zoom, or WebEx.
It is important to us that you have the option to proceed with whatever option you’re most comfortable with and that works with your schedule, busy life, and children’s schedules. We are always open to accommodating meetings in person, over the phone, or via other electronic means, as preferred.
What Should I Bring With Me To The Initial Consultation?
You should bring with you any information or documents you may have regarding child custody, assets and debts, tax documents, income information, and the like. From here, the attorney can help you determine what is needed now, what might be needed in the future, and what may not be important, given the circumstances.
What Questions Should I Expect To Answer During The Initial Consultation?
You may be asked questions about:
- Background information
- Work history
- Employment and income information
- Custody and parenting time, including your opinion on the specific arrangements that would be in the children’s best interests and the reasons in support of those specific arrangements
- Issues that may be problematic and/or any issues expected to be contested
- What your goals and desires are at the conclusion of the case
How Will You Keep In Contact With Me Throughout My Case?
We believe constant and open communication is essential to the attorney-client relationship. Contact during a case may include telephone calls, in-person meetings, and emails.
Over the last few years, email has probably become the primary method of communication in many instances, but we strive to be available for any method of contact that you prefer.
Everyone’s schedule and circumstances are different, and you may require different methods of communication. Still, it should be understood that constant communication will occur throughout the case, whether over the phone, in person, or via email.
What Is The Most Frequently Asked Question You Receive From Clients, And How Do You Typically Respond?
Most commonly, clients will want to know the following:
- What the outcome of their case will be
- What may be ordered as far as child custody, parenting time, and child support
- How the assets and debts may be divided
- The amount of spousal support that may be received
While custody and parenting time will be ruled upon in accordance with the best interests of any minor children, assets and debts will be equitably divided according to what’s fair under the circumstances. Child support is determined in accordance with the Nebraska Child Support Guidelines, which is based on each party’s income and deductions, as well as the parenting time schedule put in place.
We strive to advocate for our clients to achieve the most favorable outcome possible, but ultimately, the final decision is left up to the trier of fact, which is the judge. While we cannot guarantee any results should any unresolved issues proceed to litigation, we can give guidance on what we expect and how we feel these issues will be handled in an effort to meet a client’s ultimate goals and desires to the fullest extent possible.
Still Have Questions? Ready To Get Started?
For more information on Everyday Questions For Your Family Law Attorney In Douglas County, Nebraska, an initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (402) 235-6070 today.
