Divorce is complex. First, the two people involved may be dealing with years of emotional history. As a result, decisions that might otherwise be made on the basis of negotiation and compromise rise to the level of statements about who said what, who did what, and who owes what to whom.
Second are the legal issues in working with a divorce attorney. Orange County spouses that choose to divorce are often uncertain about the legal steps they must take, both to dissolve the marriage and to protect themselves in the process.
Third, and not insignificantly, are the financial considerations. Both people in the marriage are likely to have assets with which they entered the relationship as well as holdings that were created during the course of their time together. Sometimes, both couples are aware of everything that they own together. In other cases, there is less transparency.
Fourth, there may be children involved in the process. This means that the two spouses must find a way to resolve their settlement while taking into account issues such as custody, visitation rights, and child support. Given this and other complexities, clients are often unsure of what to expect when they first decide to work with a divorce attorney.
Orange County’s Douglas McKeague has almost thirty years of experience as an OC family law attorney. When he works with clients, he helps them to understand the process they are about to undertake.
Here is a brief overview:
- Initial telephone conversation with the divorce attorney. Orange County residents are encouraged to call Douglas’ office and to schedule a free consultation. Ideally, the potential client will be able to meet as soon as possible so that he or she can avoid making legal mistakes in the interim.
- Free consultation. Douglas meets with the potential client to learn more about his or her circumstances. This is an important time for the two to establish needs and wants, to identify the possibility for an amicable settlement, and to set a strategy for the divorce proceedings moving forward.
- Next steps. Once the individual has decided to have Douglas become his or her representative, more specific planning can begin. This will likely include collecting necessary legal and financial information, scheduling conferences with the opposing attorney, and if required, planning for trial.
Because divorce can be an emotionally-charged, draining experience, Douglas focuses on supporting his clients at every turn. He emphasizes a thoughtful, calm approach to negotiations. One of his goals is to help the client avoid anxiety and to prevent creating additional problems at home, which will likely only hinder the outcome of the divorce proceedings. He achieves this goal not only in the way that he plans casework but also by making himself available to clients for questions and concerns throughout the process of settlement.