Your divorce hearing is an early part of the divorce process that allows you to make some temporary decisions until the final terms of your divorce can be settled. There may be several hearings, depending on the nature of your divorce and the complexity of its issues.
Here are a few tips for how you can prepare yourself for your very first divorce hearing so you’re ready for what’s to come your way.
- Get your papers in order: It’s important to get organized in advance of your first meeting so you’re ready to address the issues of your divorce in front of a judge. This means gathering paperwork and evidence in advance and having it organized in a system that allows you to easily access important information.
- Be timely: Get up early, leave early, arrive early. Give yourself extra time to deal with traffic, to find parking, to get through security checkpoints and to figure out where you’re going in the courthouse when you arrive.
- Be professional: Plan to dress in professional attire to make a good impression on the court. Be professional in the ways you speak and interact with court personnel, and let your attorney speak for you when it is appropriate.
- Rehearse: Work with your attorney in advance of your first hearing on the kinds of questions you can expect to be asked, and the topics you can expect to come up. If you go in having practiced for a hearing scenario and understanding the issues that are likely to arise, it’s much easier to conduct yourself confidently.
For more information about how you can prepare for an initial divorce hearing, contact a trusted Minnesota divorce lawyer at Appelhof, Pfeifer & Hart, P.A.