This is the fifth post in my “Understanding Nevada Divorce Series.” My last post discussed child custody mediation in Clark County. In this post I am going to address what the discovery process means to your divorce.
Understanding what the discovery process entails in Nevada family law cases
Discovery is important because it is how you prepare your case for trial. This is the process for exchanging information between two parties. It allows your attorney to obtain information that he/she will use at your trial. The more information your attorney obtains, the better prepared he/she will be. Information which can be obtained may relate to all areas of your divorce. These include the division of community property, spousal support, child custody, and child support.
There are multiple methods in the discovery process. Interrogatories consist of written questions that must be answered by the opposing party. Requests for admissions are straight forward questions which the opposing party must either admit or deny. Requests for production, require the opposing party to produce documents or other items that are relevant to the case. Finally depositions allow one to obtain sworn testimony from the opposing party or other third-parties and subpoenas allow you to obtain documents from third-persons. Your attorney will have all of these tools at his or her disposal when handing your Nevada divorce.
Why the discovery process should not be ignored during a Nevada divorce or family law matter
Many people choose to skip the discovery process because they feel it is too expensive. In the long run it will be much more expensive for you if you do not do discovery. Being prepared and armed with as much information will help your attorney perform their job to the best of their ability. Being unprepared at trial can make a difference in the amount of support to be paid or received, how property will be divided, and how child custody will be shared. If you are going through a Nevada divorce then the discovery process will greatly influence the outcome at trial.
It is imperative to be as prepared as possible when you are going through the long and drawn out process of a trial. Discovery can be the difference between winning and losing a case. Don’t be caught off guard, ask your attorney about the discovery process and how it will benefit you.