Top Questions To Ask A Houston Divorce Lawyer

You know your marriage is over, and now you need to hire a Houston divorce lawyer. You’ve fought through the tears, acknowledged the pain, and are no longer on the fence about your decision. Going through the process of a divorce is tough. Especially if there are children involved, you probably weighed several pros and cons before making a final choice. You may have even talked in-depth about getting a divorce with your soon-to-be ex-spouse.

You should make a similar effort into hiring a divorce attorney. Whoever you choose will learn highly personal information about you, your assets, and your marriage. With over 12,000 attorneys in Houston, you need an attorney with the right experience who you can trust.

Suppose you hired someone as an interior designer or contractor but didn’t bother asking questions beforehand. You trust that they have the knowledge and expertise to take on the job. However, as time goes on, your expectations aren’t being met. They’re dodging your calls, and nothing is done on time. You’re now stuck working through the details and reaching out to another professional. And this time, you’re going to do your research. Similar situations happen with divorce attorneys who are hired without the experience necessary to offer adequate representation. Here’s what to ask when hiring a Houston divorce lawyer.

Are you looking for an experienced divorce and family law attorney? Contact the Daniels Law Firm today.

10 Important Questions To Ask A Houston Divorce Lawyer

Think about the answers to the following ten questions when making your decision:

1. Do You Offer Free Consultations?

Consultations should be part of the process. However, not all attorneys offer them for no charge. Depending on your budget, you should find out whether a free consultation is necessary. Or decide if you have money to invest for a consultation fee or two.

Keep in mind that an attorney who charges for consultations is not necessarily better than one who doesn’t. It could simply be that particular attorney’s preference. You can find a reputable Houston divorce lawyer with free or paid consultations.

2. What Experience Do You Have As A Houston Divorce Lawyer?

In your consultation, it’s okay to ask an attorney for their credentials. Aside from education and other licenses, you should ask about their experience with divorce law. Something critical to know is that not all attorneys specialize or practice family law. In some cases, a firm may take your case but doesn’t necessarily have someone in-house who is genuinely familiar with family law.

A family law attorney can help with the following specific needs:

• Child custody
• Child support
• Enforcement (if necessary)
• Modifications
• Guardianship
• Mediation
• Litigation

If you need an attorney experienced in family law, contact the Daniels Law Firm.

3. What Type Of Clients Do You Typically Serve?

Here is where you can get into the details of who the attorney usually works with. This is an excellent way to know whether they may be out of your scope financially. As an example, they may say they most often work with extremely high-net-worth individuals in the River Oaks or Memorial area. This could be an indicator that they are part of a more expensive firm. 

As another example, they might see a diverse group of families from low to high income spread across the Houston area. Depending on your situation, this attorney may be more affordable. However, it’s important to continue asking questions to see if they’re a good fit for you, which leads us right into our next question.

4. Can You Help Me With Child Custody & Support Terms?

You can better understand an attorney’s capabilities by asking for their help laying out terms for your children. Like the above question, an attorney may say they work with many families with children. If you need assistance with child custody and child support, find an attorney who has this type of experience. Matters involving children are highly detail-oriented and should be taken very seriously.

5. What’s Your Work Style Like?

A divorce comes with many tedious steps and tasks. You could be dividing and sharing assets. Or, you might need to set up strict terms and conditions for child custody and support. What’s more, you may have a spouse or even family of in-laws who is severely challenging to work with. Whether you need a firm approach or a lighter hand, discuss it with your potential attorney and determine how they prefer to work on cases like yours.

6. What Is Your Availability Like?

Throughout your divorce, you’ll likely have questions. Ensure your expectations for your attorney’s availability meets your needs. Ask about their response time and double-check that there are multiple channels of communication available to you (email, text, office phone, cellphone, etc.) 

If you need to be able to contact your attorney during the late afternoon or evening, express that. If you prefer early mornings, let them know. You deserve to have an attorney dedicated to winning your case and available to you when you need them. Furthermore, ask about being able to contact them in the event of an emergency. 

7. Will You Be Able To Give Personal Attention To My Case?

Many law firms pass around their cases. Occasionally, those cases end up in the hands of a paralegal or different attorney than you originally consulted. If this is okay with you, let them know. However, if you want or expect a specific attorney to handle your case, make that clear and find out if that’s something they can do. 

8. How Does Payment Work & What Services Are Included?

At some point, it will be necessary to break down the exact costs and know what services are included. You may need to prepare for additional fees or expenses such as court fees, attempts to find the other party at fault, and going to trial. Getting this information ahead of time will allow you to better prepare for what’s ahead.

9. How Long Will My Divorce Take?

This is one of the most popular questions clients ask when facing an impending divorce. The state of Texas requires a waiting period of 60 days between filing and finalizing a divorce. Additionally, if your divorce becomes more complex and drawn out, the longer it will take.

10. Do You See Any Issues With My Case Based On What You Know?

Finally, get an overview of what an attorney thinks about your case. A respectable divorce lawyer should be honest yet understanding when offering their response. Remember, many consultations are not considered legal advice and are only used to offer their legal opinion based on what they know.

Meet Your Houston Divorce Lawyer, Experienced In Family Law

You’ve thought your situation through over and over again. And moments of your marriage replay in your head throughout the day and before you fall asleep. But you keep coming back to the same conclusion and know it’s time to take action. Daniels Law Firm attorney, Cassandra Daniels, offers her divorce clients her undivided attention, polished strategy, and care.The search for a hands-on family law attorney in Houston stops here. Contact the Daniels Law Firm to get started.