KitchenTablePower!

As readers of this column soon discover kitchentabledivorce.ca is all about empowering people to take control of their own family law issues. Or to put it differently, sitting down at a table with your ex, and/or his lawyer, to attempt to resolve your dispute, almost always beats standing up in court, in front of a judge, to achieve the same end.

That’s because there are always two sides to every story, even though most family clients naturally find their own story the most compelling. In fact even after almost twenty years of representing family law clients I am still finding myself surprised with judicial decisions.

That’s why resolving the dispute between yourselves, at the kitchen table, or in fact any table, if possible, can allow you to control your destiny, and be far less costly, both emotionally and financially.

So here’s an important tip after you’ve arranged to obtain a legal consult with an experienced family lawyer. After all, a legal consultation can often be arranged for little or no charge, and can help you to focus on the critical legal principles, rather than being sidetracked by irrelevant, (as far as the court is concerned), emotional issues.

Make sure you bring to the consultation any legal papers you may have. Just this week I asked someone who was meeting with me for a consultation for a copy of the order, or agreement , she was hoping to vary. Unfortunately, she had forgotten to bring it, which meant it left me virtually guessing as to the kind of change she should be seeking, and even the level of court ie. Provincial or Supreme, that she should be filing it with. All of which meant the value of the consultation process was diminished.

So before you meet with a family lawyer collect your papers, and if you’re unsure what they mean, simply arrange them in order of dates, with the earliest first. This simple technique will enable you, and your lawyer, not only to understand how things started, but hopefully where things are going.

This basic, but critical information, will vastly increase the chance of your having an effective legal consultation, and with it, the power to accomplish your goals!