What Will My Divorce Cost?
What Will My Divorce Cost?
One of the first questions people ask when hiring a lawyer is how much will it cost? While we cannot guarantee what your total cost will be (as it depends on your own individual facts and circumstances), the guidelines below will give you an estimate. Our hourly fees are $300 for attorneys and $130 for paralegals. We generally require a retainer payment at the first client meeting between $3,500 and $5,500. We accept payments via credit card, cash or check.
Iowa Mandatory Parenting Class
Iowa Divorce with Children or Custody Case – Mandatory Children Cope Class Information –
In any action which involves child custody or visitation, the parties are to take a court-approved education course designed to help the parties understand the needs of the children during and after the court proceeding. Below is a list of classes available in Northwest Iowa for 2021. All classes are currently being held via Zoom.
January 2021
Friday Jan 8th 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday Jan 9th 1:15-5:15 pm
Saturday Jan 16th 1:15-5:15 pm
Thursday Jan 21st 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday Jan 23rd 1:15-5:45 pm
February 2021
Friday Feb 5th 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday Feb 6th 1:15-5:15 pm
Saturday Feb 13th 1:15-5:15 pm
Thursday Feb 18th 6:00-10:00 pm
March 2021
Thursday Mar 4th 6:00-10:00 pm
Friday Mar 12th 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday Mar 13th 1:15-5:15pm
Saturday Mar 20th 1:15-5:15 pm
Saturday Mar 27th 1:15-5:15pm
April 2021
Friday Apr 9th 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday Apr 10th 1:15-5:15 pm
Saturday Apr 17th 1:15-5:45 pm
Saturday Apr 24th 1:15-5:15 pm
May 2021
Friday May 7th 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday May 8th 1:15-5:15 pm
Saturday May 15th 1:15-5:15 pm
Thursday May 20th 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday May 22nd 1:15-5:15 pm
June 2021
Friday Jun 4th 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday Jun 5th 1:15-5:15 pm
Saturday Jun 12th 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday Jun 19th 1:15-5:15 pm
Thursday Jun 24th 6:00-10:00 pm
July 2021
Friday Jul 9th 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday Jul 10th 1:15-5:45 pm
Saturday Jul 17th 1:15-5:15 pm
Saturday Jul 24th 1:15-5:15 pm
Thursday Jul 29th 6:00-10:00 pm
August 2021
Friday Aug 6th 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday Aug 7th 1:15-5:15 pm
Saturday Aug 14th 1:15-5:15 pm
Thursday Aug 19th 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday Aug 21st 1:15-5:15 pm
September 2021
Friday Sep 17th 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday Sep 18th 1:15-5:15 pm
Thursday Sep 23rd 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday Sep 25th 1:15-5:15 pm
October 2021
Friday Oct 1st 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday Oct 2nd 1:15-5:15 pm
Saturday Oct 9th 1:15-5:15 pm
Thursday Oct 14th 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday Oct 23rd 1:15-5:15 pm
November 2021
Friday Nov 5th 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday Nov 6th 1:15-5:15 pm
Saturday Nov 13th 1:15-5:15 pm
Thursday Nov 18th 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday Nov 20th 1:15-5:15 pm
December 2021
Saturday Dec 4th 1:15-5:15 pm
Friday Dec 10th 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday Dec 11th 1:15-5:15 pm
Thursday Dec 16th 6:00-10:00 pm
Saturday Dec 18th 1:15-5:15 pm
Sign up and additional information.
Holiday Visitation or Parenting Time Schedule
To view a typical court ordered visitation schedule for holidays (in Iowa) see below
Shared Physical Care – Parenting Time Schedules
In Iowa (and to a lesser extent South Dakota and Nebraska), shared physical care is becoming more and more common. Shared physical care parenting time schedules vary from family to family. One of the more common schedules involves the children rotating between the parents homes on a weekly basis (with the opposite parent having one evening of mid-week visitation).
Other common schedules are as follows:
5/5/2/2 Shared Physical Care Parenting Schedule
************SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT
WEEK 1 MOM MOM MOM DAD DAD DAD DAD
WEEK 2 DAD MOM MOM DAD DAD MOM MOM
WEEK 3 MOM MOM MOM DAD DAD DAD DAD
WEEK 4 DAD MOM MOM DAD DAD MOM MOM
Facebook is Divorce Lawyers’ New Best Friend: Whatever You Share Online Can (And Will) Be Used Against You In Court
A must read for anyone going through a divorce. Facebook posts are commonly used in divorce proceedings so don’t post anything that you do not want the Judge to see. Leanne Italie of the Associated Press writes:
Forgot to de-friend your wife on Facebook while posting vacation shots of your mistress? Her divorce lawyer will be thrilled.
Oversharing on social networks has led to an overabundance of evidence in divorce cases. The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers says 81 percent of its members have used or faced evidence plucked from Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and other social networking sites, including YouTube and LinkedIn, over the last five years.
“Oh, I’ve had some fun ones,” said Linda Lea Viken, president-elect of the 1,600-member group. “It’s very, very common in my new cases.”
Facebook is the unrivaled leader for turning virtual reality into real-life divorce drama, Viken said. Sixty-six percent of the lawyers surveyed cited Facebook foibles as the source of online evidence, she said. MySpace followed with 15 percent, followed by Twitter at 5 percent.
About one in five adults uses Facebook for flirting, according to a 2008 report by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. But it’s not just kissy pix with the manstress or mistress that show up as evidence. Think of Dad forcing son to de-friend mom, bolstering her alienation of affection claim against him.
Collaborative Divorce
Collaborative Divorce is discussed on this Today Show clip. The International Academy of Collaborative Law Professionals also provides a good video link below – wherein a couple discusses their experience with Collaborative Divorce. www.collaborativepractice.com
Iowa Supreme Court Held Husband was Properly Awarded Joint Physical Care
The Iowa Supreme Court held that father was properly awarded joint physical care notwithstanding mother’s testimony alleging communication problems and the parties contentious relationship. The court gave deference to the district court’s finding that mother’s testimony lacked credibility. The court noted that the children had thrived under the joint physical care arrangement for the past two years, i.e. the daughter was doing well in school, the son was developing well for his age, both children benefited from frequent contact with both parents, and both parents had been actively involved in caring for the children and their activities. Accordingly, the Supreme Court held that joint legal custody and shared physical care were in the best interests of the children. In re Marriage Harris, No. 12-1969 (Iowa 2013).
