Divorce and mediation
Divorce, settled one decision at a time
A divorce is a few dozen decisions about money, a home and children. We help you make each one with the numbers in front of you.
Most of our divorce cases settle, many of them in mediation, where you and your spouse decide and a judge signs what you agreed. When there's no agreement to be had, we prepare the case for trial from the start, so you aren't waiting on us when the court sets a date.
Your lawyer handles the strategy and every conversation with the other side. Your paralegal builds the financial disclosure with you, so nothing is left to the last week.
What this covers
Contested and uncontested divorce
Legal separation
Mediation and settlement meetings
Dividing the home, debts and accounts
Retirement accounts and pensions
Spousal maintenance
What has to be settled
The six things every divorce decides
Some take a signature. Others take months of disclosure and a hearing. We'll tell you early which is which in your case.
The house
Who keeps it, who refinances, or whether it's sold and how the proceeds split.
Debts and accounts
Bank accounts, credit cards, car loans and the tax return for the year you separate.
Retirement
401(k)s, pensions and IRAs, and the separate orders it can take to divide them.
A family business
What it's worth, who keeps it and how the other spouse is paid out.
Spousal maintenance
Whether either of you pays the other, how much and for how long.
The children
Where they live, who decides what, and the schedule. That's its own part of the case.
Custody and parenting time
Questions
Before you file
Do we both need lawyers?
Each of you can have one, and usually should. We can represent only one spouse. If you've already agreed on most things, we can review the agreement and file it for you.
How long does a divorce take?
Courts set a minimum waiting period after filing, and an agreed divorce can finish soon after it. A contested case takes longer, often most of a year, depending on the court's calendar and how much is disputed.
Is mediation right for us?
It works when both of you can talk about money and the children without one person being afraid of the other. If there's been abuse or intimidation, tell us. We'll advise against mediation or set it up so you're never in the same room.
What will it cost?
Divorce is billed by the hour against a retainer. After the first meeting you'll get a written estimate for your case and an itemized bill every month, so the number is never a surprise.
Start with one meeting
Bring what you know about the house, the accounts and the children's weeks. We'll give you the options and a plan.