Fees
How each fee works
Each flat fee covers the work listed under it. Anything outside that gets a written quote first.
Uncontested divorce
One flat fee when you and your spouse agree, or nearly agree, on the house, the money and the kids.
Start a divorcePetition, decree and every filing drafted
Property settlement agreement
Parenting plan, if you have children
Final hearing, with me beside you
Agreed parenting plan
One flat fee for parents, married or not, who want custody and parenting time set down in writing.
Start a planWeekday and weekend schedule
Holidays, school breaks and travel
Child support worksheet
Filing and court approval
Mediation
A flat fee for each 3-hour session. Both of you, one neutral lawyer, and the issues you choose to settle. Split the fee however you like.
Book mediationAgenda agreed before the session
Video or in person
Written summary of what you agreed
When you can't agree
A contested trial or custody hearing isn't in any flat fee. Each stage gets its own written quote before it starts.
Court filing fees and the cost of serving papers go to the court and the server, not to me, and aren't in any flat fee.
Never in a flat fee
What you'll pay someone else
These costs go to the court or to other people, not to me. I'll tell you which apply before you sign.
Court filing fee
Set by the court and paid to it when the case is filed.
Serving papers
If your spouse won't sign for them, a sheriff or process server charges to deliver them.
Appraisals
A house, a business or a pension sometimes needs an outside valuation.
Parenting class
Many courts ask parents to take a short class; the provider charges for it.
Paying
How paying works
When do I pay?
Half the flat fee when you sign the engagement letter, the rest before anything is filed.
What if we reconcile halfway through?
You pay for the stage we reached, not the whole fee. The engagement letter sets out how that's worked out.
Do you take cards?
Yes, cards and bank transfer. A longer payment schedule can be arranged; ask at the first meeting.
What if something changes after the decree?
Call me. A change to the order, such as a move or a new job, gets a written quote before any work starts.
Which flat fee fits
One hour at a set fee, quoted when you book, credited to your flat fee if you go ahead within 30 days.