Divorce Separation Child Support Custody Juvenile Law Adoption Cohabitation Attorney Daniel E. Dalton, Tewksbury, Massachusetts Lawyer

The Civil Divorce^™

The sensible approach to a new life

Do you charge for the first telephone discussion?

No. I'm happy to spend a few minutes to discuss anything you'd like. Please call or e-mail anytime.

Do you charge for the first office meeting?

Yes. The first meeting lasts an hour to an hour and a half, and the fee is $125.

I know that some Massachusetts divorce lawyers don’t charge, and you may get some useful information that way. But for me to understand your situation, and for you to get a feel for me (or any other lawyer), we need to spend some time together.

This meeting is a two-way street. You decide if you want to hire me, and I decide if I'll take you on as a client. On average, I don't accept about one out of three people, even if they want to hire me. Sometimes I sense that we just won't be able to work together. If so, I'll be honest and tell you that you'd be better off with someone else. (If you truly want a junkyard dog to "teach him a lesson" or to "destroy that b****," please call someone else.)

After we talk, I'll tell it to you straight. I don't sugarcoat things just to make you feel better (the worst thing a lawyer can do). And I don't pressure you. Experience tells me that some people don't want to do anything right away. They just want to discuss their options. It's completely your call.

How much will my divorce cost?

It depends mainly on the time needed to resolve your case. Generally, the more the two of you agree on matters, the lower your legal fees will be. With my experience, I can give you a good estimate of what your total costs will be, and I'll do that at our first meeting.

My billing rate is $185 per hour. That's more than a beginning lawyer, of course. But it's less than many lawyers with my 27 years of experience. I strive to keep my costs down. My office is pleasant, but not elegant. And I don't have a big overhead and staff that would force me to raise my fees. I can bill less because my costs are less (apologies to Ernie Boch).

Mediation

Mediation is billed at the hourly rate of $185. Mediation can be a relatively inexpensive way to get things done. There's a simple reason for that: people who mediate are people looking to resolve matters quickly and fairly. On average, couples who mediate often resolve everything in three or four office sessions, each lasting about an hour to an hour and a half.

Coaching, advice, document prep & review

Sometimes this can be done on a "pay-as-you-go" basis. Or you may want me to prepare court documents, or reserve a set amount of time to have me available for ongoing advice. It's your decision.

After the fee for the first meeting, the hourly fee is $185. If you want a single service, and the time needed can be reasonably estimated, I'll quote you a flat fee.

Uncontested divorce: $850

"Uncontested" means that you both have agreed on everything, including who gets what property and what debt, and all matters related to your children

Fee includes:

• Initial meeting of one to one and a half hours.

• Preparation of joint petition for no-fault divorce, Probate Court financial statements,

affidavits of irretrievable breakdown; drafting of divorce agreement, all other papers

needed to file a joint no-fault divorce.

• Meeting to sign and notarize papers and to give you instructions about your court date.

Expenses

Legal fees do not include out-of-pocket expenses, such as the court filing fee ($220). But you are not charged for routine expenses such as faxes, postage, in-office copying, meals, mileage, or parking.

Do you accept credit cards?

Yes. Visa and Master Card are accepted.

Do you have a written agreement listing services and fees?

Yes. Always.

Atty. Daniel E. Dalton
885 Main St. (Rte. 38), Suite 10A
Tewksbury, MA 01876
Tel. 978-851-2444
Dalton@usa.net

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