Arizona Family Law – The Courtroom Experience

As you enter divorce proceedings, particularly when kids are involved, you may be a bit apprehensive about your first court appearance. While many cases can be settled early enough that no court appearance is necessary, Arizona family law can be complicated, and may often require more than one court experience if the case cannot be settled promptly. Knowing what to expect at the outset is especially important. Once proceedings begin, your lawyer can only do so much. Most of the decisions will be in the hands of the judge. Here are a few tips to help you get ready.

1. Work through as many issues as possible before you make it to the courtroom doors. The fewer things the judge has to deal with, the better of you'll be. He can't control any of what happened during the settlement and mediation process before your case actually got to trial.



2. Don't expect the judge to continually side with you, even if you think you're justified. Keep in mind that any decision can go in your spouse's favor or it can go in a different direction than either of you expected. Just because you see the case one way doesn't mean the judge will see it the same way.



3. Talk with your attorney about how to behave in the courtroom. It is essential that you know when you should and should not speak. Make certain that you do not say anything unless the judge asks you to do so.



4. Any time you're asked to address the judge, you should refer to him or her as 'Your Honor.' Calling the judge by any other name can only serve to make the situation much worse.



5. During the actual proceedings, you shouldn't try to insult your spouse or the other lawyer. It's poor courtroom etiquette.



6. Likewise, you'll want to leave all of your negativity at the door. Making gestures or horrible faces can only make a judge angry, and that can often mean poor decisions in your case.



7. Make certain you're well dressed before you enter the courtroom. Your family law attorney should have some guidelines for you to follow. He or she probably has a strategy that will help portray you correctly to the judge, so make certain to take that advice as you prepare for court that morning.



8. You'll want to bring along a pad of paper and a pen so you can take notes as the judge speaks. Your attorney is actually quite busy during court, so the more of the hearing that you can record, the better off you'll be in case memory doesn't serve you quite as well as it should.



9. Remain organized throughout the proceedings. You'll want information and documentation at your fingertips in case the judge asks for anything. It's always better to be over-prepared when it comes to cases that involve your kids.

If you're dealing with a difficult divorce case, the very best thing you can do is consult with a family law attorney who has experience in the Arizona courtrooms you'll continually face. Fortunately, the right attorney is available now. McGuire Gardner has the knowledge, experience, and advice you need now. Call today for a free consultation.

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