Financial Statement

Each party must complete file,and serve a court-furnished financial statement,often printed on colored paper so it can be easily identified "sealed," i.e.,kept out of records available for public inspection. Perhaps the most important divorce document, but often neglected by many lawyers, it is a major trap for the unwary. Honest mistakes "can and will be used against you in a court of law." For example, monthly finances can’t be converted into weekly numbers by dividing by 4, as there are 4.33 weeks in a month. We see excellent lawyers on big-money cases blunder. Make sure your lawyer focuses on details. It is worth the additional expense in legal fees. If counsel wants to wing it, get a new lawyer, especially if the case is headed for trial. See Discovery.