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Summary: After emailing back and forth, or just speaking with me on the phone,
I give you a an estimate of about how much time you need for: research, consultation, often times
document review, and further discussion and questioning of the person. It is usually
1-2 hours; but it can end up being more or less depending on what I discover.
You select the number of hours and hit retain attorney/purachase button.
The fees are nonrefundable and not placed in a separate acccount.
You are never obligated to pay more than the number of hours you select and pay for in advance.
Further Explanation of this Service: I don't have any kind of automatic credit card billing, and I will not
run up any hours or fees in research beyond what you pay until you give me the explicit
consent by email.
However, it is important to understand that I can't always provide black and white answers for
all legal questions presented. In fact
usually the client is posed with 5-6 choices which are based on probabilities, and how the other side reacts can determine
the result. Additionally, the answer to a question is often in a range: "Most judges in King
county would split the property 70/30, and give you 50% decision-making over choide of your
child's school." As such you then can make your own judgment as to what to do next given my general
prediction. This can help you tremendously when negotiating with your spouse (or their attorney for that
matter) because you have an honest and objective view of what the bottom line looks like.
As an example, if the client has, say, 10 questions: 5 will be rock solid
(yes/no, or that will never happen, or you will get in deep trouble if you try that etc.),
three are fairly certain (i.e. probably 80%), and 2 are too 50/50 or "...it depends on whether
that family member truly would state at trial or sign sworn statements on your behalf xyz...i.e.
the spouse showed up 3 times drunk at family parties in front of the kids" on that particular issue".
Your own "decision-tree" will be effected by this. Many cases are deep and unique, so the best option
is to consider as many possibilities far in advance from the perspective of how they will be treated
by the divorce court process: which can be substantially different at certain times from your own common-sense persepctive.
The hallmark of my practice is giving you the same completely honest assessment you would receive in
a doctor's office if you had a serious medical problem. I also will not judge you personally for anything
you have done or try to get you to "do the right thing". But likewise I often do not have the time or
emotional energy to take on particuar cases if they look like they will be particularly contentious. Also
you should understand that there is no guarantee that I will take on your case even if you spend $500.00 or more on
research fees. This is can be for a number of reasons: 1) usually I simply discover my caseload won't permit it
at the time after learning more about your case (and there is no point trying to get a guarantee in advance because
that is part of the point of the research), 2)
between when you paid and research is completed my caseload
got heavier from a a few new cases, 3) although my research is neutral and honest I don't personally agree
with some of your ideas about what is right or wrong, and don't want to work with you in general, or 3) maybe
your case would be better handled by a lawyer in a distant county or jurisdiction. I regularly handle uncontested
cases from all over Washington state and from overseas but if it turns contested and you guys start fighting I don't
travel to far off courthouses.
Regardless, of how I feel personally
about you or your case I will never, ever do something that is not in your best interests other than simply not continue
to represent you or provide advice. A lawyer has a right to withdraw from your case but he/she can't intentionally
give you incorrect advice in any circumstance.
You need to scan and email copies of Court orders if any apply to your case.
If your case has not started this won't apply.
You will help yourself by being totally honest with me because, as compared to the criminal court procedures you see on TV,
there are no evidentiary protections or high burdens of proof in family law proceedings: the Judges and investigators assigned
by the family court are extrememly astute (although the former is often strapped for time) and will often be very severe
with a party who later discovered to have been dishonest. Further, although initial family court hearings are based mainly
on declarations don't believe that the Court commissioner can not start asking you questions right there and then. And
the final decision at trial is made only by an older and experienced Judge. In trial I have been surprised at how transparent
people are when they do not relate a consistent set of circumstances or exaggerate.
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