Your initial consultation
We recognize that by the time a client has come to the point of contacting an attorney, they have already gone through and are continuing to go through a stressful point in their life. As we often say, people do not generally come to their attorneys because they are having a good day. Rather, attorneys frequently like doctors, are contacted only when something has gone wrong. In the case of attorneys most often this is because the client has been sued, has just separated from their spouse or is contemplating a separation, has been arrested or has been injured. Ideally, the attorney would turn back time to avoid the client getting in trouble to begin with, but given that we do not have that ability, we will assist you in dealing with the situation to address you legal issues and attempt to gain the relief you are seeking.
The primary purpose of an initial consultation is to allow the attorney to gather facts from the client and based upon those facts and circumstances to provide the client with the reasonable options available to them under the law. We recognize that every case has at least three components; the clients legal rights, their economic rights and the emotional factor. Often times a clients legal and economic rights are closely related, however; sometimes a clients personal interest is best served by pursuing non-legal means. Though it is very difficult, it is important to attempt to sort out your emotions from the facts in order to proceed, as the court ultimately will make its decision not based upon emotion but upon a rational businesslike approach guided by the principles of the law.
Many clients are surprised by what they learn during an initial consultation as they are informed of all the factors that ultimately determine whether they have a good case and a likely favorable outcome. An experienced attorney is trained not only to identify the legal issues presented by the fact scenario you lay out, but is able to express an opinion on other factors that may influence a potential outcome. In order for the attorney to be able to do his job and to give the most accurate analysis of your situation, it is imperative that you be open and honest with your attorney. An attorney cannot be as effective if they do not have all the facts both good and bad. Often times things that you may think are damaging to your case or are embarrassing, do not have the legal effect you anticipated. You can feel free to discuss these matters with your attorney, as everything you say is held strictly confidential and cannot be disclosed without your consent, and an experienced attorney has probably heard similar scenarios as yours before.
In order to assist in the initial consultation and as a head start to the discovery process you should attempt to gather and bring with you as much information as possible. If items are not available do not worry, usually they can be obtained latter. Some items you should try to bring to the initial meeting ( if applicable) are:
1. Any legal papers you have recently been served with.( civil, family law)
2. Any citations or warrants received. (criminal/ traffic)
3. Copy of any release orders. (criminal)
4. Copies of any prior orders or agreements (civil, family law)
5. Accident reports (civil, personal injury)
6. Medical records and bills (personal injury)
7. List of medical care providers ( personal injury)
8. Copies of any correspondence from the insurance company or their agents.
9. Dates of Marriage, separation, children's birth dates, and social Security
numbers. (family law)
10. Mailing address and physical address of the adverse party.
11. Name of your employer and your spouses employer. (family law)
12. Copies of recent years tax returns and pay stubs for you and adverse party
(family law)
13. Name of bank and account numbers for all accounts. (family law)
14. Stock, bond, ira and retirement information for self and adverse party.
(family law)
15. List of all real property owned by location and deed reference if possible.
( family law)
16. List of any special items of personal property ( jewelry, artwork,
heirlooms, etc.) (family law)
17. List of debts, both joint and separate, with account numbers. (family law)
18. Copies of deeds, surveys, plats, title insurance.( real estate)
19. Note any "skeletons" such as drug or alcohol assessments and treatment,
prior criminal involvement, domestic violence etc. ( family law, personal
injury)
20. Any witnesses names, contact information and statements. (family law,
personal injury, civil, criminal)
21. Dates of prior medical treatment and injuries. ( personal injury)
Although the above may seem like a lot to put together, the steps you take not only assist the attorney in being able to make a more informed analysis of your situation but also will likely reduce your overall legal bills as you will not have to pay the attorney for their time in gathering the information.
Most importantly however, remember that the attorney is there to assist you in your situation. Everything you tell them is confidential. Do not be afraid to ask questions to be sure you understand what options the attorney has given you. If the attorney says something you do not understand, ask them to explain it further. We believe that an informed client is the best client and that for a client to make the best possible decisions for themselves as far as how to proceed they need to be given straightforward honest answers to their questions.
If you would like to schedule an initial consultation or if you have further question please contact us at 828-254-0499 or lawoffice@bullreinhardt.com
The information you obtain from this site is not, nor is it intended to be legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your situation.
Copyright (c) 2008 Bull & Reinhardt, PLLC. All rights reserved. You may reproduce materials available at this site for your own personal use but not for any commercial distribution.
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