Questions people commonly bring to a first consultation
- How long do we have to be separated before we can divorce?
- Can I move out before we sign anything?
- How do judges decide custody?
- How is child support calculated?
- Do we have to go to court?
- What happens to the house?
This list is illustrative. It reflects the kinds of questions family lawyers hear, not AI usage data. Many of these are private questions people may prefer to ask a screen before they ask a person, which is why the page answering them matters.
Every answer depends on the state
Take the first question. In North Carolina, G.S. 50-6 requires that the spouses have lived separate and apart for one year before either can seek an absolute divorce. On custody, G.S. 50-13.2(a) directs the court to award custody to the person, agency, or institution that will best promote the interest and welfare of the child. A page written for "everywhere" cannot state either rule, and an AI answer drawn from it will be vague or wrong.
The North Carolina guide shows how state detail runs through a firm's whole site.
Answer calmly, and keep it private
Readers arrive anxious. Open with the plain rule, give the honest range, and say what a consultation covers. Do not invite readers to share case details through a website form. The structure is described in what an answer-first practice page looks like.
Go deeper
The family law practice guide covers the page set. For the citation side, see how family law firms get cited by AI.