If you are seeking a divorce in Orange County, California and are meeting with your attorney for the first time there are several types of information you need to prepare. Most likely your attorney will have a form for you to fill out and will oftentimes go through it with you. However, the purpose of this article is to give you advance warning of the types of documentation and information you’ll need during your client consultation. I have also included a link to a Judicial Council Form provided by the Superior Court of Orange County that many attorneys use.
It would be wise to prepare, organize and bring the following information:
1. Personal: Dates of birth, marriage,
2. Property: Residence- lease or own (lease amount). If owner: value of home; mortgage payment, source of purchase funds, source of mortgage payments. Other Real Property. Life Insurance. Furniture
3. Obligations: debts- including date incurred, purpose, due date, and terms of repayment.
4. income: here you include your employer, your spouse’s employer, type of occupation amount of monthly income, your withholdings, and if you currently are unemployed make sure you include an explanation of why, and lastly include the number of exemptions.
5. liquid assets: here you want to include for example –cash, stocks, bonds, life insurance and checking accounts.
6. Monthly expenses: a laundry list of information contained on the link below. Be sure to visit and peruse as this list is extensive.
If you have this information at your disposal and you have filled out the linked form, you will save your attorney time which will save you money. It follows that the more information you have prepared and organized the less time you are turning will have to spend compiling and organizing and preparing your case.
