2012 Fee Schedule
This Fee Schedule includes only those legal problems which are most common. We will gladly supply you with cost information on our other services. For those cases in which a price is not specifically indicated, attorney time will be charged at $160.00 to $240.00 an hour, and paralegal time at $75.00 per hour. Fees may be paid in cash, personal checks, money orders, MasterCard, Discover or Visa. Payment is expected at the first meeting in our office.
The following fees for legal services do not include any filing fees, service fees, recording fees, travel costs, online research costs or court costs. These costs must be paid by the client in addition to the fees for legal services. An estimate of these costs is available on request.
A "+" symbol means that the price for the service indicated is the minimum fee or retainer. If (and only if) the time spent on the service increases beyond the equivalent of the retainer will an additional hourly rate be charged.
An initial case evaluation by telephone is available at no charge. If deemed necessary by the responsible attorney, the free initial review of 10 to 15 minutes may be scheduled in-office.
Fees are broken down into the following categories:
| DIVORCE/DOMESTIC RELATIONS(Filing Fees, etc. $60 - $250) [top] | |
| Simple uncontested divorce (agreement on all issues, no negotiations, no answer filed, no settlement agreement, no other attorney) | 1,200.00 |
| Contested divorce (no minor children) | 2,000.00+ |
| Contested divorce (with children) | 3,000.00+ |
| Contested divorce (custody at issue) | 5,000.00+ |
| Service of Process by Notice by Publication (Plus costs of $150 - $350) | add 300.00 |
| Separation/Settlement Agreement | 500.00+ |
| Protection from abuse (ex parte order) | 200.00+ |
| Protection from abuse hearing | 1,000.00+ |
| Uncontested modification of alimony, custody, support or visitation | 800.00 |
| Contested modification of alimony, support or visitation | 3,000.00+ |
| Contested modification of custody | 5,000.00+ |
| Contempt of Court, violation of divorce judgment, or Motion for Arrearage | 900.00+ |
| Parental Rights & Responsibilities (uncontested) | 1,200.00 |
| Parental Rights & Responsibilities (contested) | 3,000.00+ |
| Pre-Marital Agreement | 1,000.00+ |
| BANKRUPTCY** [top] | |
| Individual, Consumer Debt (filing fee $306.00) | 1,000.00+ |
| Spouses, Consumer Debt (filing fee $306.00) | 1,200.00+ |
| Business/Corporate (filing fee $306.00) | 2,400.00+ |
| Fifteen or more creditors | add 100.00 (per 15) |
| Reaffirmation or Redemption | add 150.00 (each) |
| Above median income | add 500.00+ |
| Wage Earner/Chapter 13 (filing fee $281.00) | 2,400.00+ |
| Involuntary | 3,000.00+ |
| Amendment to Petition (filing fee $30.00) | 180.00 |
| Dischargeability Litigation | 1,800.00+ |
| Abuse Litigation | 1,800.00+ |
| Dismissal Litigation | 1,800.00+ |
| Re-open Case (filing fee $260.00) | 180.00+ |
| Motions for Relief from Stay | 500.00+ |
| Conversion from Chapter 13 to Chapter 7 (filing fee $25) | 500.00+ |
| ** Federal law now requires additional documentation and program participation. There will be extra out-of-pocket expenses for Debtors to pay. These often include: Credit Reports (minimum $45.00 per Person); Tax Transcripts (minimum $20 - $75 per person); Credit Counseling that must be completed prior to filing ($50 minimum); and Debtor Education that must be taken prior to bankruptcy process being completed ($50 minimum). Both Credit Counseling and Debtor Education will be scheduled for you by our office. | |
| CONSUMER [top] | |
| General Power of Attorney | $100.00 |
| Special Power of Attorney | 150.00 |
| Promissory Note (demand) | 100.00 |
| Promissory Note (installment) | 150.00 |
| Promissory Note (variable rate) | 200.00 |
| Preparation of Bill of Sale | 100.00 |
| Simple demand letter | 200.00 |
| Document Review | 100.00+ |
| REAL ESTATE(Costs extra) [top] | |
| Mortgage Foreclosure Defense | $1,200.00+ |
| Predatory Lending Issues | 1,200.00+ |
| Sell residence (prepare deed, advice on purchase and sale agreement, review closing documents, representation at in-town closing) | 500.00+ |
| Buy residence (prepare purchase and sale agreement, review deed and closing documents, representation at in-town closing) | 600.00+ |
| Quiet Title (uncontested) | 2,000.00+ |
| Partition (uncontested) | 2,000.00+ |
| Title Search (plus Abstractor's Fee) | 200.00+ |
| Purchase and Sale Agreement for Real Estate | 200.00+ |
| Simple Warranty Deed or Quit Claim Deed | 120.00 |
| Simple Mortgage | 180.00 |
| Variable rate/flexible mortgage | 200.00+ |
| Complex Deeds | 200.00+ |
| Bond for Deed | 450.00+ |
| Review and advice on Residential Lease | 180.00 |
| Preparation of Residential Lease | 180.00+ |
| Preparation of Commercial Lease | 450.00+ |
| Lease with Option to Buy | 360.00+ |
| Notice to Quit | 180.00+ |
| Forcible Entry and Detainer | 540.00+ |
| Tenant's dispute with Landlord | 540.00+ |
| PARTNERSHIPS [top] | |
| General Partnership Agreement | $ 600.00+ |
| Limited Partnership Agreement | 750.00+ |
| Dissolution Agreement | 600.00+ |
| CORPORATIONS (plus costs in parentheses) [top] | |
| Incorporation through first meeting ($265.00) | 600.00+ |
| Voluntary Dissolution ($75.00) | 300.00+ |
| Incorporation of non-profit group ($140.00) | 600.00+ |
| Annual Report and Clerk's fee ($85.00) | 180.00 |
| Purchase and Sale of Business | 1,500.00+ |
| Establishing Limited Liability Company ($295.00) | 600.00+ |
| Annual Report & LLC Agent's fee ($85.00) | 180.00 |
| WILLS AND ESTATE PLANNING [top] | |
| Individual Simple Will | $180.00 |
| Individual Will with Simple Trust for Children | 240.00 |
| Spouses, Simple Wills, Reciprocal | 240.00 |
| Spouses, Simple Wills, Reciprocal, Trust for Children | 300.00 |
| Simple Codicil (amendment) | 150.00 |
| Living Will (contemporaneous with Will) | 60.00 |
| Trusts or other complicated provisions | add 180.00+ |
| Simple Intervivos Living Trust | 180.00+ |
| Estate Planning | 180.00+ |
| PROBATE COURT PROCEEDINGS (Costs Extra) [top] | |
| Adoptions | |
| Step-parent (uncontested) | $900.00 |
| Notice by Publication (plus costs) | add 180.00 |
| Step-parent (contested) | 1,800.00+ |
| Termination of Parental Rights (uncontested) | 180.00 |
| Termination of Parental Rights (contested) | 900.00+ |
| Agency Adoption | 1,440.00+ |
| Non-Agency Adoption | 1,800.00+ |
| Adult | 900.00+ |
| Extra Child in same proceeding | add 450.00 |
| Name Change | |
| Name Change (hearing extra) | 280.00+ |
| Guardianships | |
| Appointment through inventory (uncontested) | 900.00 |
| Contested hearing | 1,800.00+ |
| Defense against petition for guardianship | 1,800.00+ |
| Probate of Estate | |
| Probate of Estate | 1,200.00+ |
| CRIMINAL** [top] | |
| Class "D" or "E" crimes | $1,200.00+ |
| Class "A", "B" or "C" crimes (plea) | 2,400.00+ |
| Non-Jury trial | add 1,000.00+ |
| Jury trial | add 2,000.00+ |
| Operating under the influence (OUI) | 1,200.00+ |
| OUI (Administrative hearing/BMV) | 360.00+ |
| Operating after suspension (OAS) | 1,200.00+ |
| Speeding/Traffic | 900.00+ |
| **NOTE: Fees in criminal and traffic cases must be paid in full prior to the entry of the attorney's appearance. | |