After you or your spouse files for divorce, you will have to both attend a hearing within a few weeks. This hearing is called a preliminary divorce hearing and has several purposes. If you do not have a lawyer yet, you should begin by hiring one to help you with your divorce case. Your lawyer will also help you get ready for your preliminary hearing. Here are some of the ways you must prepare.
Learn the Purposes of This Hearing
The first thing you may want to do is talk to your divorce lawyer about the purposes of a preliminary hearing. If you do not know the purpose of it, it may be hard to prepare for it. A preliminary divorce hearing has several objectives to understand.
The first purpose of this hearing is to initiate the divorce proceedings. During the meeting, the lawyer will state the reason for the conference and will ask if you both understand it. The next purpose of this hearing is to create a temporary arrangement for your situation.
Create a List of What You Want Temporarily
A temporary arrangement for a divorce situation is not always necessary, but it is in many cases. The purpose of a temporary order is to give both spouses details of the arrangement between them until the divorce goes through. You will need to prepare for this by determining what you want. Remember, what you ask for is only temporary. Whatever you decide in the divorce proceedings will overrule this temporary arrangement.
Some of the issues you should work out include who will live in the house and who will pay the bills. If you share a home, this is a vital detail to think about. You both cannot stay in the house, so only one of you will get to stay there.
Another issue is the kids. If you have children, do you want custody of them at this time, or do you think they would be better off with your spouse? Whoever does not receive custody will have to pay child support, which is another issue you will work out at the preliminary hearing. Your lawyer can help you come up with other issues to work out too.
Meeting in a courtroom for a preliminary hearing is a normal part of a divorce case. You should not attend this hearing alone, though. Make sure you hire a divorce lawyer right away if you have a hearing coming up soon.