How to Hire A Divorce Attorney
Hiring a divorce attorney is one of the hardest things to do, especially when there are children involved.
Step One: Research divorce lawyers in your area of the state. You will need to file for divorce in the proper jurisdiction for the family law judge to hear the case. In South Carolina, you or your spouse will need to be a resident of South Carolina. The case must also be filed in the appropriate county. We represent clients in Charleston, Horry and Georgetown Counties in South Carolina.
Step Two: Call an attorney in your area and set up an interview. There will usually be a consultation fee ranging from $50.00 to $250.00. This fee is based on an indepth interview regarding your case.
Step Three: Get all your financial information together prior to the interview. This includes your tax returns for the previous year and any pay information, investments and retirement accounts. A Financial affidavit will have to be provided at some point in the case and it is better to get it done immediately.
Step Four: If there are children involved, do not bring them to any interview with an attorney. Do not complain about your spouse in front of the children. The most important issue for anyone will be the best interest of the children. Our divorce attorneys in South Carolina do not believe in leveraging the children in a divorce.
Step Five: The interview with the divorce attorney. Do not be embarassed about your situation. I promise we have seen other cases similar to yours. It may be hard to speak with a stranger about your case, but everything you say stays in our office and no one will ever know. This is part of the attorney-client privilege.
Step Six: Agreeing to hire an Myrtle Beach Divorce attorney that you are comfortable with and trust. This is important because you are going to have to rely on information your attorney provides during the South Carolina Divorce. A South Carolina divorce is different than a Georgia Divorce or even a Florida Divorce. South Carolina has many divorce laws that have not changed in decades. Your South Carolina divorce lawyer must be able to explain these laws to you.
This is also the time when you must Retain your divorce attorney. This is the signing of a formal agreement that allows your attorney to legally represent you and you must pay a deposit for this agreement. This deposit is usually between $2,000.00 to $8,000.00 depending on what issues are know at the initial interview. The divorce law firm will bill your deposit on a monthly basis at a rate ranging between $200.00 to $350.00 per hour for the attorney's work.
Next a divorce complaint is filed and the case begins. The other option in South Carolina is a separation agreement.
If you need further information call our office in Myrtle Beach at 843-839-2900.
A divorce in South Carolina can be very stressful. We have divorce lawyers in Valdosta and divorce attorneys in Georgetown. Call our office to speak to a good Conway divorce attorney today.
