Happy New Year!

It’s a beautiful day in Sacramento. The sun is shining and the air is brisk, but not too cold or damp. A welcome change from the very wet weather we had last week and a fine way to begin 2022. I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year!

Season’s Greetings!

Season’s Greetings! My office is closed now for the holidays. I’ll resume normal operations on Monday, January 3rd. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! ???⛄️

Fall Promo! Child Custody & Visitation Modification Matters

I am offering a new promotion for fall at my office. Act now and save 10% off child custody/visitation modification matters! This discount will be in effect for the duration of your case so it has the potential to save you a great deal of money (currently $30 per hour). To receive this deal, mention it at your initial consultation. This offer expires on Saturday, December 21, 2019. If you would like to set up a date and time to meet for an initial consultation, please send me an e-mail and I’d be happy to assist you.  👍👨‍👧👩‍👦💲

Free Legal Help for Fire Victims

Northern California Fire (2015)
Northern California Fire (2015).

A new legal hotline has been established for needy fire victims in Northern California.   Victims who cannot afford an attorney can receive free, limited legal assistance with FEMA housing, insurance claims, home repairs and contractors, mortgage foreclosure issues, landlord-tenant problems, consumer protection and replacement of important legal documents (such as wills).   The assistance, provided from volunteer attorneys is limited to issues that not “produce a money award” according to a press release.

The hotline is available for fire victims in the following counties:   Butte, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Sonoma, and Yuba.

415-575-3120  

Callers can leave a message after hours or if all available operators are busy.

The hotline is a wide partnership between the State Bar of California, ABA (Young Lawyers Division), local bar associations, legal aid societies and FEMA.

Two additional related legal hotlines are also available:

Napa County residences can call the Bay Area Legal Aid Legal Advice Hotline.  They have set up a dedicated telephone number at: 800-551-5554.

Napa and Sonoma county residents with health care issues can call the Health Care Consumer Center line.  Assistance is available for  Medi-Cal; medical insurance coverage issues; prescription coverage; and coverage while needing to temporarily relocate out-of-state.  855-693-7285.

For more information, see this press release from the ABA.   Photo credit Jeff Head on Flickr (public domain).

Spring Fling Promo – Save on Child Custody & Visitation Matters

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Don’t miss my Spring Fling promo.  Now’s your chance to save 20% off my normal hourly rates on Child Custody and Visitation matters!   This offer expires on April 30, 2017.  Mention this ad at your initial consultation to receive the discount.

This is the time to start thinking about a different parenting plan for the new school year in the fall.  It may seem like a long ways out, but it’s only a few months away and the court process is slow.  Also, mediators and judges are more likely to recommend a school change during the summer to minimize any disruption to your child’s education and lifestyle.  As always, it’s all about the best interests of the child!

To set up a consultation, shoot me an e-mail and tell me a little bit about your situation.  It’s also a good idea to mention some dates and times when you would like to meet and I’ll try to accommodate you if possible.  Please note that I normally meet with prospective clients in the afternoon due to frequent court dates and other legal proceedings in the morning.

Divorce Savings!

January is the busiest time of the year for new Divorce filings. Act fast and you can save 10% my normal hourly rates! Contact me today to set up a confidential consultation and strategy session. Hurry, this special offer ends on February 28, 2017. Note: Offer limited to new clients only who present ad at initial meeting.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Thanksgiving Special for In Pro Per Family Law Litigants

THANKSGIVING SPECIAL PROMOTION

$500 for three hours of unbundled legal services for family law!  (Save 55%)

Last year this promotion was very popular so I decided to do it again!

Receive up to three hours of unbundled (aka à la carte) family law services for just $500!  Use this time for consultation, coaching, document drafting and review and more!  Represent yourself in court with an edge!  This is perfect for in pro per family law litigants with a limited budget who cannot afford full representation, but still could use a helping hand with their case.

Here’s some example projects I could assist you with:

  • General consultation about starting a new case or your existing one.  Ask questions, discuss strategy, document review and more.
  • Assistance preparing a Request For Order (i.e. Court Motion) for child custody or visitation.  I can help with initial orders or modification of existing orders.
  • Assistance preparing  a Request For Order (i.e. Court Motion) for child or spousal support.
  • Assistance preparing your Declaration of Disclosure (an important mandatory step in the divorce process).  This would include things the all important Declaration of Disclosure.
  • Assistance with discovery requests.  Help get the documents and information you need from the other side to investigate, assist settlement of your case and/or proof your case at trial.
  • Assistance with discovery responses.  Proper compliance is very important or you can be sanctioned by the court $1000 or more.  This includes responses to form interrogatories, special interrogatories, requests for production of documents and requests for admissions.  We could also discuss how to handle yourself at a deposition.
  • Help with the mediation process during child custody and visitation disputes.  Mediation is a critical step if children are involved.  Let’s talk about how to put your best foot forward and get a favorable mediation report!
  • Strategies for trying to settle your case including settlement offers and proposed marital settlement agreements.  Many in pro per parties get hung up at this step.  It’s important to try and settle your case effectively.  Let’s have a strategy session!

To schedule an appointment, please call me at 916.973.8288 or even better, send me an e-mail with brief details about your case.  I check my e-mail several times a day and it is the fastest way to reach me:  mwcrosson@gmail.com

Offer expires 12.15.16.

[Photo Credit: frankieleon on Flickr (CC BY 2.0)]

What to Expect at Your Initial Consultation and How to Get the Most Out of It

For prospective family law clients who are interested in retaining my services, usually the first step is for me to meet at my office for an initial consultation.  Long distance clients have the option of a telephone consultation.

At the consultation we will discuss your current goals and situation, California family law concepts, your rights, court procedure and any trouble spots I might see.  Of course I will also try to answer your questions to the best of my ability.  It is not a stretch to call this a strategy session.  Beyond the specific issues of your case, as the client, you may also wish to use this opportunity to get acquainted, discuss my background, training and experience, my fees and billing policies, what expenses may be involved in the matte and how we will be communicating during the case (e.g. personally in the office, by phone, by e-mail or by writing).

From my perspective the consultation gives me an opportunity to evaluate your case, assess whether or not I am qualified or well suited to handle your case, and determine if there some factor exists that would prevent me from working with you (such as a conflict of interest).  In a nutshell, I am trying to make sure that we are “good fit” to work together.

Family law consultations usually take about an hour.  However, sometimes it is necessary to meet longer, especially if your case has complex facts or it is an existing case with many documents in the file to review.  If your session goes longer than an hour, I will tell you when time is up and usually give you the option to keep going (also at the reduced hourly rate).  Sometimes this is not possible if I have other appointments scheduled.

I normally charge $100 for a family law consultation.  This is a steeply discounted rate as my customary hourly fee is presently $300.  I accept cash, credit cards, debit cards and (local) checks.  I normally meet with prospective clients in the afternoon or early evening and I’ll try to work around your work schedule if possible.

Here’s some tips on what to bring in order to get the most of our meeting:

  • Create a list of goals you would like to achieve in your case.
  • Consider making a time-line that shows major events related to the case.
  • Consider making a list of questions you would like to ask me about.  It’s easy to forget them if you rely on your memory.
  • Consider what your budget is to litigate the case – be realistic and be prepared to talk about it.
  • Bring a recent paycheck stub and copy of last year’s taxes.
  • For existing cases with a court file, bring a copy of the file to date.  All pleadings are potentially important, but court orders, mediation reports and motions are essential for me to have a good understanding of your case and give you the best possible advice.
  • For divorce cases, consider bringing a list of your major assets and debts.
  • For cases with custody and visitation issues, think about what your “dream” parenting plan would be.  Try to be as specific as possible and include holidays and vacations.
  • Lastly, bring along any other supporting documents that you think will help me to understand the case better

If you would like to make an appointment for a consultation, please send me an e-mail or telephone.  I am positive you will the find this strategy session very helpful and informative!

Photo credit by John-Morgan at Flickr [CC by 2.0]

End of Summer Yolo County Special!

To celebrate the end of Summer I am offering a new special offer.  New clientswith Yolo County family law matters can save 20% off of my normal hourly rates.  Yolo County includes Davis, West Sacramento, Winters and Woodland.  Save big with this generous discount of $60 an hour!  This discount is valid for divorce, child custody and visitation, child support, spousal support, modifications, step parent adoption and more! Clients must mention this ad at the time of consultation.  Get on the horn or send me an e-mail to set up a consultation.  Hurry, this offer ends when the Summer ends on September 21st, 2016.

Photo credit s2art on Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Olympics Special Discount – 25% normal hourly rates!

Don’t go through your family law case without representation! It’s too important, especially if custody and support is at issue. Getting good results in family law is a lot more than just filling out the proper forms. You need someone on your side with experience and good judgment.  I will guide you through the process and clear up your confusion and uncertainty with how best to proceed.

Contact me to set up a time to meet face to face and discuss a strategy for your case. Learn more about your rights, any trouble spots I see and how the court process works.  Of course, I will try to answer any questions that you have. Call today or send me an e-mail to set up a consultation — it’s just $100 for up to an hour.  I have twenty plus years of family law experience in this area including 10 years experience as court appointed minor’s counsel in high conflict custody matters.

OLYMPICS SPECIAL – MENTION THIS AD FOR 25% OFF HOURLY RATES!  Expires 08/21/16.

Take advantage of this fantastic offer today before it is too late.  I do not run this discount often.  All major credit cards are accepted.  Read my client reviews on Avvo here.

Photo credit Rodrigo Soldon 2 on Flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)