Divorce Lawyer: Preparing for Court

Preparing for court as a divorce lawyer is a different experience almost every time that you go. And the reason for this is that almost every case is different and so the way that you prepare and how you prepare and what you prepare for, in almost every case, will be slightly different from the previous cases you worked and future cases. In other words, preparing for the case is actually about understanding the particular case and what is at issue before the court to determine what it is that needs to be done for that particular case. However, there are some general things that can be done and applied to a number of different scenarios.

Perhaps the first thing that can be done is to prepare the client for trial. As a divorce lawyer this can involve going over child custody issues as well as all support issues or even sometimes commute property issues. One tactic that is interesting and as far as a child custody case goes, and even sometimes for some of the other areas that are incidental to a family break up, is to have the client understand the issue such that they are able to prove that the case themselves. Obviously, not all clients are capable of doing so. But, if you have a client who is particularly articulate and able to master the intricate arguments of the case, then it can be good to have that client be able to present a large part their argument. The hope here is that the court sees that the client is very much interested in the relief that they are asking for, as opposed to an attorney looking for a win.

For the divorce lawyer, it can impossible to compare what's called a trial notebook. And this is a compilation of everything that is needed and required for trial in a way that is easily accessible so that in the event something comes up in a trial situation it is possible to be called upon that information quickly and easily. This typically includes questions for witnesses, supporting documentation, and other evidence that a party may want to introduce in trial. It should be noted that it is not always necessary for an attorney to prepare this. It really depends upon the type of case before the court and how the attorney does decides to approach their argument.

Regardless of whether the divorce lawyer decides to prepare a trial notebook, another thing that can be important to do is to understand what their witnesses will testify to. This could be important as it is generally considered a normal trial tactic not to ask any questions that the attorney does not know the answer to. This can be important because there is often a lot at stake in the trial situation and the attorney does not want to be caught off guard or have an argument undermined by information that was asked a question that the divorce lawyer did not know the answer to prior to asking the question.

New Orleans attorney Will Beaumont provided this article for informational purposes, not legal advice.