Alimony is one aspect of divorce that many couples disagree about and end up needing to have the courts step in and decide. While your attorney will handle the filings and court proceedings involved in your case, there are some things you can do to prepare for a hearing or trial as well.
One of the most important aspects of preparing for a hearing is to go in well informed. The family courts are less cut and dried than criminal courts, and this can mean that everyone you talk to about your case has a different opinion on what you should do or anecdote about what happened in their case. While it can be helpful to get multiple perspectives, it’s important to ensure that you are familiar with the laws that apply to your case.
It’s also important to keep your paperwork and court documents as organized as possible so that you can reference them quickly if you have a question for your attorney or something comes up later that you need to refer back to. It’s normal for nerves to be high during court proceedings, and you probably won’t remember every detail. Keeping your copy of orders, agreements and notes handy makes it easy to go back through them if you need some additional clarification.
It’s also important that you be open and honest with your attorney about anything in the past that is relevant to your case now or current events that may impact what you need to do or the court’s decision. Anytime you have questions or concerns, your attorney can help you get a clearer picture of what is happening.
Source: Battered Women’s Legal Advocacy Project, “Filing a Motion and Preparing for a Hearing in Family Court,” accessed Sep. 24, 2015
