New here

[born2bfree]

Hi I'm new here and I think I need a lawyer although I can't afford one and don't qualify for assistance. My husband lawyer sent me a document requesting me to fill it out with my financial records but there is no file # so he's just feeling me out. I've talked to many people who have spent 60 grand and up on lawyers fees and still no resolution. I refuse to be a victim of that I want to spend as little money as possible
If you have any suggestion or feel you can help it would be greatly appreciated
Thanks

[Mess]

Disclosure of financial records is perfectly normal, just make sure your husband/his lawyer is sending your his disclosure.

I would recommend the first thing you do is go to the library or bookstore and get "Surviving Your Divorce" by Cochrane, he is a Toronto divorce lawyer, the book is useful for helping dealing with your emotions through the process as it is with dealing with the law, it outlines in basic readable language what the laws are and your rights and what the process is and how to navigate it all. Read this and then you will have a better idea of what questions you have pertaining to your situation, whether you need ongoing legal advice or not, whether your husband is being fair, etc.

[born2bfree]

Yes Thank you for that il get the book. This has been going on for 2 years now so I don't have emotional baggage it's more like relief that he's gone. My problem is that his lawyer is a sleaze and his financial records sent to me are false. He's lying about almost everything that's why I think I need a lawyer do you know anyone in the north Toronto area that would give me a free consultation?

[Mess]

Go to the website of the Law Society of Upper Canada, you can call their referral service and get free 1 hour consultation. They will take basic details of your case and refer you to a specialist. Mostly you just want an experienced divorce lawyer, but you may have particular issues.

When you speak to your lawyer, have all the details of your case with you in a binder, including the financials from your husband. Use a highlighter pen to mark what you think is false.

Have a sheet with personal details for you, your husband, children etc, birthdates, SIN, business address, schools, length of your marriage, etc.

Have a sheet outlining your family assets, cars, home, cottage, RRSPs, insurance policies, etc. If you don't know the exact amounts, estimate values. Write this up as "summary", later on you will get copies of statements and assessments. The summary is just for conversation. You want to know about what you should get in equalization, and whether it's worth putting up a big fight if he's already made an offer.

On the pages leave lots of blank space for notes. Have a copy of each page for the lawyer and one for you to make notes.

Make a list of questions before you go in. Lawyers love to talk and this will eat up a lot of your hour. Don't hesitate to control the meeting, keep an eye on the time and make sure you get answers to your questions one by one. Write down the answers.

If your are considering hiring a lawyer, make sure they listen as well as they talk. At the end of the meeting ask the lawyer to sumarize what they think your goals are for a settlement. Pay attention to their answer, see if they actually understood what you want. This is a very important part of the interview. Some lawyers will not listen and push ahead with a paint-by-numbers divorce case and do a lot of things you don't want.

Never feel pressured. The lawyer isn't getting divorced, you are, so any decision affects your life, and you will make the decision. There are lawyers out there who forget this.

[born2bfree]

Thank you so much il try that first you've helped me alot