Importance of Meeting Your Attorney in Person
Preparing for Your Initial Consultation: Key Steps and Considerations
At Doppelt and Forney, San Diego Divorce Lawyers, we understand the significance of the attorney-client relationship. That's why we offer a free 30-minute initial consultation, either in person at our Rancho Bernardo office in North County Inland San Diego, or virtually. While we accommodate virtual consultations for convenience, we strongly encourage you to visit our office if possible. Meeting your attorney in person lets you assess whether you can work together effectively, observe the professionalism of our office, and interact with our staff, whose demeanor and support play an essential role in your experience.
Other law firms charge hundreds of dollars for this consultation. Our firm has made an intentional decision to offer it for free, for as long as we can. We understand that many parents and spouses face difficult situations, and we aim to provide as much information as possible in 30 minutes or less. For those who hire our firm, we do our best to exceed their expectations for legal service and fees. Beyond the free consultation, we also do not charge for postage, mileage, copying, or faxing — costs that other law firms bill for, which can add up to hundreds of dollars.
Identifying Your Top Legal Goals
Before your consultation, clearly identify your top goals for your case. We recommend writing down your top five objectives. This preparation helps your attorney provide a realistic assessment based on the specific facts of your case. While the law applies uniformly, each case has unique circumstances that influence the outcome.
How Attorneys Analyze Your Case: The IRAC Method
Understanding how attorneys think is very important. No matter which law school an attorney graduates from, attorneys use the legal analysis framework called IRAC. Your attorney can explain how this applies to your family law case:
Issue: The attorney's first job is issue-spotting. In family law, the basic issues are physical custody, legal custody, division of debt, division of assets, child support, and spousal support. Your attorney has two primary jobs: to protect your legal rights and to pursue your legal goals. No attorney can guarantee any outcome, so setting realistic expectations matters.
Rule: The attorney's second job is determining what rule of law applies. For example, when parties have minor children, a computer program called DissoMaster calculates child support in family law court. Doppelt and Forney owns this program and can calculate the "guideline amount" for you.
Analysis: Using DissoMaster, your attorney calculates guideline child support. Your attorney also analyzes whether any deviations from the guideline apply, along with mandatory and discretionary add-ons. Mandatory add-ons include 50% of all unreimbursed or uninsured dental, medical, and orthodontic costs. Discretionary add-ons include 50% of travel costs. Family Law Code Section 4062 lists these add-ons. Every case is different, and attorneys complete this analysis for each issue.
Conclusion: If no deviations or discretionary add-ons apply, the parties agree to guideline child support. This is a simplified example, but this legal analysis applies to all issues in your case.
Considering Child Custody and Visitation
If you have minor children, one of the most critical decisions you face is whether to stay in the family residence or move out. This decision can significantly impact custody and visitation arrangements. The court's primary concern is the "best interests of the child." Relevant factors include stability, bonding, frequent and continuing contact, cooperation between parents, and any history of abuse or neglect. Your attorney will discuss how these factors apply to your situation and help you develop a parenting plan that aligns with your goals and the court's standards. You can also visit our Child Custody & Visitation FAQ for answers to common questions.
Understanding Spousal and Child Support
A significant income gap between you and your spouse may make spousal support an issue — particularly if your marriage lasted more than ten years. Family Law Code Section 4336 addresses marriages over ten years in duration. For marriages under ten years, courts typically consider spousal support for half the length of the marriage. For longer marriages, the court often reserves jurisdiction without setting an initial termination date. See our Spousal Support FAQ for more detail.
Your attorney will calculate potential spousal and child support using the same DissoMaster program that family law courts use in San Diego, Chula Vista, El Cajon, and Vista. This gives you a realistic picture of your financial obligations or entitlements.
Preparing for Asset and Debt Division
Asset and debt division is another crucial aspect of your case. For your initial consultation, bring the following documents if possible:
- A list of each asset and its acquisition date
- A list of each debt and its acquisition date
- The value of each asset at acquisition and its current value
- All bills related to your total monthly expenses
- Documents relating to any business interests
- Copies of deeds, mortgages, revocable living trusts, estate plans, IRAs, KEOGHs, vested and non-vested stock options, bank accounts, brokerage accounts, pensions, retirements, profit-sharing plans, tax returns, and other financial accounts
What If You Don't Have All the Documents?
Not having all of these documents at your initial consultation is common. One spouse often does not know the full extent of the marital assets or their values. Your attorney will discuss strategies for uncovering this information. These strategies include reviewing the Schedule of Assets and Debts, conducting written discovery, requesting production of documents, issuing requests for admissions, taking depositions, running asset searches, and involving private investigators when necessary.
Why an Initial Consultation Is Crucial
Before taking any significant action in your divorce case or family law matter, get an informed analysis of your situation. Your initial consultation gives you a chance to understand your legal options, set realistic goals, and build a strategy tailored to your specific circumstances. Read our blog post on how to choose the right divorce lawyer in San Diego to help you prepare.
Contact Us for Your Free Consultation
To schedule your free 30-minute consultation, contact Doppelt and Forney San Diego Divorce Lawyers or use our online form. Whether you meet in person or virtually, our experienced attorneys are ready to provide the guidance and support you need to navigate your legal challenges. We serve clients across all areas of San Diego County.
