Provide your attorney with all good/bad facts:
- It is extremely important that you openly and honestly discuss all facts that could be relevant to your case with your attorney.
- You do not want your attorney to find out “bad facts” about you for the first time at the hearing.
- Discuss your past criminal history and any other “skeletons in your closet” with your attorney before the temporary orders hearing.
- Discussing these issues with your attorney before the hearing will allow your attorney to try to minimize the impact of the “bad facts” in your case.
- Discuss with your attorney any “bad facts” regarding the other party in advance.
- Discussing with your attorney any “bad facts” regarding the other party will allow your attorney to try to obtain any relevant documentation, such as police reports, prior to the hearing.
- Provide your attorney with the “good facts” of your case as well. This will allow your attorney to present you in the most favorable light to the Court.
Provide your attorney with all relevant documents:
- It is important to provide your attorney with all relevant financial documentation as early as possible prior to the hearing. This will allow them to review these documents prior to the temporary orders hearing in order to determine which documents should be used at the hearing.
- Provide your attorney with all relevant pay stubs, bank statements, credit card statements, tax returns, etc. These documents will likely be exhibits for the Court at the temporary orders hearing.
- Provide your attorney with any relevant medical records, school records, childcare records, police reports, photographs, emails, text messages, Facebook and other social networking information. These will likely be exhibits for the Court at the temporary orders hearing.
Provide your attorney with witness information:
- Provide your attorney with the name and contact information of any possible witnesses for your case as early as possible. This will allow your attorney enough time to issue any necessary subpoenas to secure the attendance of witnesses for your hearing.
- Advise your witnesses that your attorney or someone from his/her office will be contacting them about their possible testimony in your case.
- Inform your possible witnesses of your temporary orders hearing date.
- Try to find out if your witnesses will require a subpoena to attend the hearing.