How do I prepare for a divorce consultation?

How do I prepare for a divorce consultation?

10 things to bring to your initial consultation with a divorce…

  1. Prepare your Schedule of Assets and Debts.
  2. Prepare your Income and Expense Declaration.
  3. Prepare a list of questions you want to ask the divorce lawyer.
  4. Tax Returns.
  5. Self-employment documents.
  6. List out the relevant facts about your case.
  7. Ask the attorney for his or her client intake sheet in advance of the meeting.

What happens at a preliminary conference?

About This Article Briefly: A preliminary hearing setting conference (only for felony cases) is a hearing where the judge will set or adjust the date for a preliminary hearing, perhaps rule on requests for experts or independent testing and the prosecutor and defense counsel will discuss resolution of the case.

What does preliminary conference mean?

INTRODUCTION. The Preliminary Conference, still sometimes called an 8-A conference, is a meeting of the attorneys for the parties for the purpose of entering into a stipulation to be so-ordered by the court which will set a discovery schedule.

Can charges be dropped at a preliminary hearing?

Some of the rights afforded defendants during a preliminary hearing include: Defendants can successfully have their charges dismissed if they prove a prosecutor’s case lack sufficient evidence to prove that a crime occurred.

What comes after a preliminary hearing?

After a preliminary hearing, prosecutors and defense attorneys sometimes agree to “submit the case on the record.” When this happens, a judge (not a jury) determines the defendant’s guilt or innocence based on the judge’s review of the preliminary hearing transcript.

Do you get drug tested at a preliminary hearing?

You cannot be forced to submit to a drug test at a preliminary hearing. The purpose of a preliminary hearing is to require the prosecutor to prove to a judge that there is a valid case against you, which should be permitted to go forward as a felony

Is it good to waive a preliminary hearing?

The defendant is guilty of more than the charged offenses and fears further charges from the potentially damning evidence that may come out at the preliminary hearing. By waiving the prelim, the defendant may prevent the testimony from coming in when trial time rolls around.

How long after preliminary hearing is trial?

After the preliminary hearing process, the person would be re-arraigned and they have the right to have a jury trial within 60 calendar days of the date they were arraigned, so that would be the soonest they could have the trial.

How long does a case take to go to trial?

California Penal Code 1382 PC states that, in misdemeanor cases, a defendant has the right to go to trial within 30-45 days of his arraignment. The time between an arrest and an arraignment in California misdemeanor cases is either: 48 hours if the accused was placed in custody after the arrest, or

What happens after waiving preliminary hearing?

If the defendant waives the right to a preliminary hearing, the court moves on to the arraignment. If there is a contested hearing and the court finds probable cause, the matter is “bound over for trial,” which means the court moves on to the arraignment.

What does it mean when you waive your preliminary hearing?

Criminal defendants usually have the option to waive the preliminary hearing, but it happens very rarely and no defendant should do this without the advice of an attorney. If you waive a preliminary hearing, you allow the prosecution to proceed on criminal charges against you without having to present its evidence.

What do you do at a preliminary hearing?

During a preliminary hearing, a prosecutor and defense attorney present evidence, to a judge, that is related to the charges in a criminal case. The purpose of a preliminary hearing is for the judge to determine if there is enough evidence to force the defendant to stand trial

How can a case be dismissed before trial?

There are really three ways cases can be disposed of before trial: 1) new evidence comes out to demonstrate your innocence and the case gets dropped; 2) there are legal issues with your case that are so significant that the judge orders your case dismissed; and 3) you reach some sort of pretrial agreement to plead …

Can a case be dropped at pretrial?

Pre-Trial Stages If your attorney is successful, the judge may dismiss the case before trial ever begins. The prosecutor can also drop charges at this point

What gets a case dismissed?

An order to dismiss a case can occur when the appellate court, having reversed the conviction on the grounds of a bad search or arrest, examines what’s left of the case and determines that there is not enough evidence to warrant another trial.