If you’re facing a family law concern, consulting with a compassionate family law lawyer early on is always advised. At your first meeting, you’ll lay the groundwork for what’s to come, and the better prepared you are, the more productive you can expect the meeting to be. This said, however, perfection isn’t required. Our experienced Pittsburgh family law attorney at The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull is committed to ensuring that you’re comfortable with the legal process and that it goes smoothly.
Divorce, Child Custody, Child Support, and Term Modifications
If any of the following apply to your case, you should bring the legal document in question with you to your first meeting:
- You’ve been served with divorce papers.
- You’ve been served with papers that relate to child custody, child support, or both outside of divorce.
- You’ve been served with papers that address a post-decree modification.
If you are the person initiating the case, you should focus on bringing supporting documents.
Contact Info and Personal ID
Your family law lawyer will need to confirm your identity and to communicate with you moving forward. As such, you should bring a government-issued photo ID like your driver’s license or passport and should provide your address and contact info, including your phone numbers and email address.
You’ll also need to provide relevant identifying information regarding your divorcing spouse or your children’s other parent, as well as their last known address. This is in addition to your minor children’s names, SSNs, and birth dates.
Finally, you should bring documentation that establishes your relationship with the other party. This can translate to any combination of your marriage license, your divorce decree, or your children’s birth certificates.
Financial Records
Many family law concerns hinge on financials, including the equitable division of marital property, child support, alimony, and related modifications. This makes it important to bring comprehensive financial documentation, which may be easier to gather and compile early in the process than it will be later, as your case heats up.
Focus on financial records like the following:
- Earnings records for you and your divorcing spouse or the other party, if available
- At least the last three years of your federal income tax returns
- Mortgage documents, vehicle titles, and property deeds
- Statements from your bank accounts, including checking, savings, money market, and retirement accounts
- Summaries of investment accounts
- Statements that outline your debts, including credit cards, medical bills, and personal loans
Relevant Specifics Regarding Your Minor Children
In addition to identifying your children, you should bring documentation that may play a role in how your case is resolved. Prime examples include all the following:
- Where they currently go to school and their grade level, or where they go to daycare, the cost, and who covers it
- The cost of their health insurance coverage, the policy number, and who makes the payments
- The cost of extracurricular activities that they participate in
- Current child custody and child support orders, as applicable
- Documentation regarding any special needs that any of your children have
Turn to Our Experienced Pittsburgh Family Law Lawyers for the Help You Need
Dawn Gull is our trusted Pittsburgh family law attorney at The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull, and she welcomes the opportunity to skillfully represent you throughout the legal process. The outcome of your case is important, so please don’t delay contacting us online or giving our firm a call at 412-440-5718 today.