I only take these cases if my case
schedule/load permits, and I do not enter a "Notice of Appearance". As such
I do not have the same level of high-responsiblity as in full representation. Thus,
I am more like a coach,
but you bear responsiblity for meeting all your case deadlines
and otherwise preparing your case properly. Also, there are many cases which
I do not agree to take simply because I do not believe that the person should be
trying to do it alone. Or, again, I am too busy at the time.
Please read below.
If your Washington divorce case is going to be contested in Court, you would be foolish not to use
an attorney if you have the financial ability to do so. I have
seen quite a number of cases where one party lost simply because they did not comply
with the procedures of the Court. (Feel free to ask me about any of these
cases if you worry that you may have hit that stage already.) In some respects
it is more important to have an attorney in family law than in other areas such
as business or tax laws. The reason is quite simply that the standards in
divorce and custody law are much more discretionary. The Judges and Commissioners
are given broad leeway in applying the law to the circumstances of cases as compared
to other areas of law. So, this makes it ALL THE MORE ESSENTIAL that you gain
counself from someone who makes it a regular habit to observe how the Judges and
Commissioners actually apply the rules in practice. Can someone show me where
it is written down exactly what percentage of the family home a stay-at-home mom
will get from a 15 year marriage where she makes $3000.00 and the husband $6000.00?
Nobody can point to a specific legal provision because they don't exist in that
detailed a form.
One the other hand, one thing I have learned is that there is much legwork in family law that the client
can handle themselves. You may also simply not have the money for major retainers and can only afford
an attorney for work and advice "here and there". Until now I have
never come across a location or resource that truly "pulls back the curtain" and
shows you what this mysterious wizard of Oz is doing, and what he/she is not in
fact doing. I try to do that to a greater degree than the other websites
I have seen relating to Washington family law. Family law, more than other
areas of law, places a very substantial degree of discretion in the hands of the
Family Court Commissioners and Judges that oversee your contested family law case.
Their opinions are largely unrecorded in written form. After having a strong
familiarity with your cases circumstances and I can usually give you some
good predictions on what will more than likely transpire when it comes down to it.
I am trying to expand the tutorials section, one very, very useful piece of knowledge
for do-it-yourselfers is how to make a signed declaration admissible in Family Courts
in Washington state. If you have high-speed internet you can learn the proper
way to fill out a family court declaration by
clicking here. These are submitted as evidence in nearly every contested
case of every kind. If they don't conform to the standard, they are thrown
out.
If you are just handling your Washington divorce on an uncontested basis, please go to
the "agreed" divorce setion as I offer flat fees for a fast divorce.
I charge $225.00 per hour to be your self-help coach and you can purchase in 0.5
hour increments ($112.50) at the
Prices/Order page