You have a very important role in your divorce case. After all, it’s your divorce case. You should be informed and understand every step of the process. You should keep a file of all of the documents you receive and you should bring it with you every time you visit your attorney.
You should ALWAYS tell your attorney the absolute truth. Some times, a client may not be completely forthcoming about certain matters and it almost always comes back to hurt the case much worse than had the client been truthful at first. When you hide the “bad facts” from your attorney, your attorney eventually finds out - at trial when there is little that can be done to help the situation.
Most attorneys will advise their clients not to discuss the case with their spouse, especially regarding matters communicated from the client’s attorney. The attorney-client privilege does not extend to the client’s spouse, and if such communication is made, then that information may be disclosed in open court.
Many people are surprised at the amount of information gathering that is necessary in a divorce. You should be prepared to locate and produce originals or copies of things like your home mortgage, credit card statements, insurance policies, bank account statements, tax returns, and many other documents. It may be necessary for you to answer “discovery.” You will have to answer certain questions under oath and to provide other information such as the identity of potential witnesses, etc. Your attorney will have to rely on you for these matters and if done properly it will help to protect your rights and to gain the resolution you seek.
