How it works

From the first call to the signed order

Most family cases follow these steps. Some finish in a few months; a contested one can take most of a year.

01
Step 1: The first call
Ten minutes with the office on the phone: what kind of case, which county, and a time to meet.
02
Step 2: The first hour
A lawyer goes through your situation, explains your choices and tells you what we'd charge to take it on.
03
Step 3: Filing or answering
We draft the petition or the answer with you, check every page and file it with the court.
04
Step 4: Exchanging papers
Both sides share income, accounts and debts. We collect yours and check the other side's.
05
Step 5: Talking it through
Most cases settle by agreement or in mediation. We go into it with a clear sense of what a judge would likely do.
06
Step 6: The final order
A judge signs the agreement or decides what's left. We explain the order and what to do next.

Bring to the first meeting

What helps us help you in the first hour

Bring what you can. Nothing on this list is required to get started.

Any court papers
Everything you've been served or filed, even the pages that don't make sense yet.
A recent tax return
Last year's, and a recent pay stub, if support might come up.
Your calendar
Work shifts, school times and activities, if there are children.
A short list of questions
Write them down. People forget the important one in the room.

It takes about ten minutes, and it doesn't commit you to anything.