Since 1985 I believe my office has handled more uncontested divorces than any other attorney in Buncombe County. We are very good and very fast at this and make a difficult procedure feel simple and easy. You sign and we get it done.
* This is our base legal fee. Additional fees apply to publication and and divorces requiring the incorporation of a separation agreement.
Faster, Cheaper, Better.
Please review the information on my separation agreement page. Sometimes a separation agreement is priceless; sometimes it is worthless. Everything depends on your specific facts and how much you trust your spouse. If you just want to talk about whether a separation agreement is a good idea for you I will set up a phone consultation. My fee for the consultation is $100. Prior to the consultation you must pay the legal fee and complete the domestic intake. Like almost all legal issues the easy part is preparing the documents, the hard part is deciding what they should say.
Disclaimer: The fee quote above is for the consultation and preparation of the agreement. I encourage my clients to have me prepare a draft of the agreement which is as close to what you think is a fair settlement BEFORE the agreement is shown to your spouse. So call your spouse and talk about the terms. It is always better to have a good understanding of what you each agree on before contacting me. But I expect changes so after you have approved the final draft I will make one (1) final version reflecting your final agreement after negotiations with your spouse. Also, the $400 fee does not include my negotiating with another attorney over changes to the agreement. If another attorney becomes involved I will make new financial arrangements with you for hourly billing before I deal with the opposing attorney. So get your agreement tight to begin with. This is what the consultation does.
* Plus $1 for each line of description on the original deed.
Family Law Litigation takes many forms - from entering a simple consent Order to a multi-day trial for the division of marital assets. So it is very difficult to price a domestic case without reviewing your particular facts. But in all contested cases I require a minimum retainer of $2500 which I bill against at $200/hr. I try to work fast and work smart, but the best way to keep your costs within a reasonable range is for YOU to be smart and focus on what needs to be done. I will do my part by keeping you up to date with what is happening and how much it is costing you, but the best way for you to control your legal costs is not let your anger get in the way and work hard to understand and perhaps appreciate the perspective of your spouse. It's not war; it's a cost effective accounting and we can fix the dispute if you stay calm, stay focused and listen to me. This will encourage a settlement and save you money. This is how you keep your legal fees down. Really. It is that simple.
If I determine I can handle your matter on a flat fee basis I will quote you a price to do so. But I will need to discuss the facts and issues of your case before I can consider a flat fee. Then we will get it done, quietly, calmly and without a lot of domestic drama.
At any given time I am handling many cases in many different legal areas. I work hard. But I promise you I will do my very best to respond to you like you are my only case. And if I keep you informed and save you money you will send me future business and things will work out well for both of us.
My legal fee for the first child adoption is $1200.
Adoptions of additional children are $600 per child.
For more information about the adoption process in North Carolina, please see the NC Kids Adoption Network.
Often a Termination of Parental Rights ("TPR") is necessary. My legal fee for a TPR is $1200 per child.
In all cases you are responsible for court costs and service charges.