As a divorce attorney, I find myself asking my clients a lot of questions that really don’t have anything to do with the legalities of their case. I like to know why the parties got married in the first place. I ask if the client has a new “friend” or if the parties are still living together. I even ask how the couple met, sometimes, because it helps put the client’s relationship in perspective.

When things get tense, I often remind my clients that they married their spouse for a reason. When children are involved, it’s helpful, sometimes, to point out that the child is a product...