How to Prepare For Your Divorce Hearings At The Courthouse

Family court for divorces can be quite a scary place particularly for all those people who are in it for the first time in their lives. The success of a particular court hearing matters a lot to the divorcing party and so they should start preparing for it much before the actual day of their court hearing. The discussion that follows aims to explain the things to expect when a divorcing party arrives at a family court for their hearing.

Understanding the etiquette of the courtroom and the players

Whenever you arrive at a family court specializing in divorce cases, you should realize that there will be numerous other divorce attorneys and litigants who are waiting for their turns in the same courtroom. You should sit quietly and patiently while waiting.  You need to behave politely while the court clerk and the bailiff in the courtroom.  These people are also in control of deciding the sequence in which the cases are heard on a particular day. You should be sitting quietly and watch the judge dealing with the other cases while the court proceedings are on. Such an observation is invaluable as you can understand the kind of evidence or facts the judge is expecting specifically in a certain situation. You will also get time to understand the judge better.

Appreciate the type of a court hearing

All hearings are not of equal importance in a family court. A party involved in a divorce case should be aware of the kind of hearing that is coming up. Plus, they should know the kind of expectation during such a hearing. There are many occasions when a court schedules hearings whose aim is to simply provide status updates to the court on the progress of certain discovery and how a specific case will settle. Other hearings can be for a settlement meeting to make an attempt in compelling both the divorcing parties to come together and negotiate.

Clothing should be appropriate based on the nature of hearing

As soon as you realize the type of an upcoming heating of yours, it is important for you to introspect on the kind of message you are going to communicate to the judges. So for instance, you are seeking alimony, things may backfire even you appear at the court wearing a designer label and an expensive and stylish bag.  On the other hand, if the hearing is to settle child custody issues, you should endeavor to dress up like a mother or a father so that the judge gets a favorable impression about you.

Getting divorced in California can be complicated.  Download our free eBook, 18 Important Things to Know About California Divorce to educate yourself on the process.  

Gerald A. Maggio is an experienced Orange County divorce and family law attorney and family law attorney located in Irvine, California, serving the Orange County and Riverside areas. Mr. Maggio assists clients with legal issues including divorce, legal separation, divorce mediation, child custody, prenuptial agreements, stepparent adoptions, and other family law issues. Mr. Maggio has practiced law in California since 1999, and founded The Maggio Law Firm in 2005, focusing exclusively on divorce and family law matters.