Family law comprises many different aspects of life, including adoptions, termination of parental rights, grandparent rights, pre-nuptial agreements, divorce, post-divorce property divisions, spousal maintenance (alimony), child support, visitation, and more. Often the family law matter is part of a complex series of issues which may also involve a criminal law case or a probate and estate administration. After the divorce, clients should revise their will and powers of attorney, and often there are real estate issues, as well. The good news is that the Law Office of Laura D. Heard, P.C. can assist with all of these. Why have one attorney do your will, another to do your divorce and a third attorney to handle your DWI? It makes sense to have one attorney who knows all of your history. Laura D. Heard can handle divorce, property transfers, probate, wills, guardianships, and criminal defense. Laura received the highest grade in her law school class in domestic relations, and has much experience in criminal court, probate court, and child abuse court, as well as divorce court. She is a general practitioner, rather then limiting her practice to any certain specialty.

The law requires a 60-day minimum waiting period from the time a divorce petition is filed until the judge is permitted to sign the final decree.  The fee retainer for divorce depends on many things. A truly uncontested divorce is rare, but for a divorce with no property division at all, no land, no vehicles, no retirement, and no children, Laura D. Heard offers a “$750 down and $750 in 30 days” plan.   In other cases, the retainer will depend upon the amount and type of property, and issues involved.   The attorney's hourly billing rate depends upon years of experience, and with the senior attorney rate at $250 per hour.  For more complex divorce cases, be prepared to discuss the following:

• How many children are involved, and what are their ages?
• What is the income of both spouses? Is spousal support requested?
• What real estate is owned and how was it acquired?
• What retirement plans, IRA's, 401K's, military retirement, etc. is available?
• What are the debts of the parties, including mortgages, home equity loans, promissory notes, car loans, credit cards, IRS liens, etc.?
• Provide the social security number and driver's license number of both spouses.