“What should I bring to our first meeting?” the caller said.

I said, “Bring yourself and what’s inside your head.”

At the initial conference, I usually go through a list of questions to obtain data about the parties and their children, date of marriage, date and circumstances of separation, financial information and objectives.  I also answer questions, which are usually about the process and legal fees.  The whole thing takes about an hour.

In case you want to bring some papers with you, attorney Judith H. Blumeno has compiled the following list:

• Marriage certificate
• Tax returns
• Pay stubs
• Car loans
• Mortgage information
• Prenuptial agreements
• Bank account statements
• Statements for credit card accounts
• Deeds

We can complete the first meeting without these documents.   So don’t feel like you have to find all or any of them before you make the appointment!