Snake River Law PLLC

Costs and Expenses in Custody Disputes

admin — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 03:05:45 +0000

Anytime you have a contested child custody dispute you will face certain costs and expenses. Some of these expenses include:

Attorney fees – if billed by the hour you will pay a minimum of $1,500.00 but more likely somewhere between $3-5,000.00. Make sure that you discuss this with your attorney to find out the actual costs not just the initial costs and the hourly rate you will be charged. Find out if the attorney will guarantee his/her fee.
Filing fees – $76.00-129.00 depending on whether the child custody dispute is part of a divorce or or not.
Child Custody Evaluation - many Idaho courts are now requiring a child custody evaluation. If ordered to conduct an evaluation you will be looking at between $750-3,000.00.
Photocopies, Faxes, etc. – if billed by the hour you will also be charged around 0.30 per fax page and 0.25 per copy. You will also be charged for any long distance charges.
Subpoenas – it may be necessary to subpoena information from various individuals, businesses, or organizations. Each subpoena can cost anywhere from $20-100.00.
Witness Fees. Anytime you call the custody evaluator or other witnesses at trial you may have to pay for their appearance. Expect witness fees between $300-500.00.

These are just some of the costs and expenses you will face when going through a disputed child custody evaluation. Make sure to discuss costs and fees with your attorney and request that they guarantee their fee.

In an effort to provide guaranteed fees, Snake River Law has moved to flat fees in child custody disputes and guarantees its clients a fixed, flat rate for attorney fees. Guaranteed flat rates for attorney fees foster positive attorney-client relationships and encourage open communication. Wherever you are, find an attorney, if possible, that will guarantee his/her fee.

Planning For More Than Money

admin — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 22:09:25 +0000

Last night my son and I sat down for our nightly, pre-bedtime tradition—corn chips and a bowl of La Herdez salsa. Every night when he senses bedtime approaching, he will look up at me and ask for chips and salsa, and, although this is pretty insignificant in the grand scheme of things, I love the small moment we have to bond over our chips and salsa. These experiences have reminded me that our lives are so much more than our money, assets, and possessions. It’s these simple moments with a son, daughter, mother, father, brother, or sister that truly enrich our lives and provide us with a lasting legacy. One of my goals as a Personal Family Lawyer® is to provide clients planning documents that not only properly care for their assets but that provide their children, families, and friends with a legacy of values and beliefs my clients stood for during their lives. It is about passing on the individual not just the money. To accomplish this, VIP members sit down with me in a “priceless conversation” where we discuss their legacy, family, heroes, treasures, wisdom, wishes, etc. This conversation is recorded and provided to the client in both written and recorded formats so their legacy will pass on to their heirs. Priceless conversations are a wonderful opportunity to preserve all aspects of your legacy with the rising generations. I think all of wish that we could have preserved a part of a loved one lost rather than received a check. If you want to sit down and discuss legacy planning through priceless conversations, give me a call.

Welcome to Snake River Law

admin — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:46:40 +0000

I am happy to announce that I am now an official member of the Personal Family Lawyer program and am very excited to present you, your family, and your business with the exciting tools and resources provided to you by me, your Personal Family Lawyer.