By Ryan L. Munro
When someone calls me regarding any family law question, one issue consistently arises. Money! How much will this cost, and how can I keep costs down? Since I am a newer attorney and this answer is highly dependent on experience, I thought who better to ask than the partners. Here is advice from over two centuries of experience:
Sage Advice
- Recognize that you have a choice: act wisely and save your money to send your children to school or act impulsively and without heeding our advice and spend your money sending our children to school.
- If you have children, recognize that you will have a relationship with your ex-spouse as a co-parent once the divorce proceedings are over.
- Your children will benefit from having two healthy, happy parents.
- Even if they have another lawyer, read Divorce in Missouri, by Alisse C. Camazine and Alan E. Freed (Acorn House, 2009), so they have as much information as possible.
Client Expectations
- Expect your attorney to gather information and discuss settlement. There is always time for a trial. If your attorney will not discuss settlement after gathering all the information, there is problem.
- Know the risk of trial. There is always great uncertainty and expense at trial and they should be prepared to accept less in settlement, than what they would like in a perfect world.
Discovery / Document Exchange
- Be cooperative when documents are requested. Most documents can be obtained by the other side anyway and subpoenas can be expensive.
- The more time the client spends obtaining documents within their control, the less time the lawyers on either side will spend having to do it.
- Don't play hide the ball with assets, property, and debts.
Client's Own Behavior
- Don't waste or squander property or income prior to or after filing for divorce.
- Don't use the children as a weapon.
- Don't date or do things that may create emotional havoc with your spouse. This process is expensive and painful enough without adding outside variables.
- Don't abuse drugs, alcohol or gambling while your case is pending.
- Don't abuse, harass, or intimidate your spouse or children while your case is pending (or ever, for that matter).
- Get professional help to deal with the emotional issues of divorce instead of using your attorney as a psychologist. However, tell your attorney about your therapy and how it may affect your case including how you are able to deal with issues pertaining to your case.
- Don't make any major financial moves without discussing them with your attorney first.
- Talk to your attorney before you do things like install spy-ware on your computer, tape record conversations, and other conduct that may violate privacy laws.
