On this webpage you shall find my REQUIRED UPFRONT
RETAINER AMOUNTS, listed in U.S Dollars ($), for the various types
of cases I handle. This money covers any Court filing fee and initial
service attempt upon other parties in the case. The remainder of it
goes toward my attorney's fees, which are earned at my usual rate of
$150.00 per hour (unless I require or agree to another rate). Payment
may be made by cash, money order, cashier's check, personal
check, PayPal, VISA or Mastercard. Also on this page are answers
to common questions regarding retaining me as an attorney,
including what sorts of things I charge for, how to retain me, etc.
MY HOURLY RATE:
$150.00 per hour for all work done on the Client's case except for communications with the Client. Communications with clients are billed at the rate of $50.00 per hour, regardless of whether they be by telephone or e-mail, and regardless of whether such communications occur between a client and myself or someone else in my office. We do not initiate and bill for any unnecessary communications.
FOR ANSWERS TO MORE COMMONLY-ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING MY FEES, PLEASE SCROLL DOWN THE PAGE.
$150.00 per hour for all work done on the Client's case except for communications with the Client. Communications with clients are billed at the rate of $50.00 per hour, regardless of whether they be by telephone or e-mail, and regardless of whether such communications occur between a client and myself or someone else in my office. We do not initiate and bill for any unnecessary communications.
FOR ANSWERS TO MORE COMMONLY-ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING MY FEES, PLEASE SCROLL DOWN THE PAGE.
DIVORCE OR SEPARATION
FROM $600 TO $1400
Starts off at a base of $600. If minor child or children, add $300. If no case has yet been filed and a filing fee is required, add $200. If protective order case is pending between you and spouse, add $100. If either party out-of-state, add $100. If married 10 years or more, add $100. If real property to divide, add $50. If retirement fund(s) to divide, add $50. Legal separation same price as divorce.
If you want me to calculate the exact retainer for a divorce case, please fill out the questionaire on my website or contact my office.
If you thinks your situation is an UNCONTESTED DIVORCE, click here for my discounted rates.
Starts off at a base of $600. If minor child or children, add $300. If no case has yet been filed and a filing fee is required, add $200. If protective order case is pending between you and spouse, add $100. If either party out-of-state, add $100. If married 10 years or more, add $100. If real property to divide, add $50. If retirement fund(s) to divide, add $50. Legal separation same price as divorce.
If you want me to calculate the exact retainer for a divorce case, please fill out the questionaire on my website or contact my office.
If you thinks your situation is an UNCONTESTED DIVORCE, click here for my discounted rates.
CUSTODY OR VISITATION
$800 AND UP
Only $900 upfront for a out-of-wedlock parent seeking custody or visitation where no Court order exists. Only $800 if you are responding to a new custody or visitation case filed by the other parent. Add another $100 if you or the other parent live out-of-state. A $1000 retainer if you want to file, or the other parent has filed, a motion to modify custody or visitation, this being because when people go back into Court to change a Court Order in place, there is typically a great deal more time spent arguing than there was the first time in Court.
$800 AND UP
Only $900 upfront for a out-of-wedlock parent seeking custody or visitation where no Court order exists. Only $800 if you are responding to a new custody or visitation case filed by the other parent. Add another $100 if you or the other parent live out-of-state. A $1000 retainer if you want to file, or the other parent has filed, a motion to modify custody or visitation, this being because when people go back into Court to change a Court Order in place, there is typically a great deal more time spent arguing than there was the first time in Court.
CHILD OR SPOUSAL
SUPPORT
$500 AND UP
Starts off at a base of $500 for child support or spousal support (i.e., alimony) modification and collection cases, whether through D.H.S. or the District Court. If you are the one seeking to change the current child support or alimony amount or collect the back-due child support or alimony owed, add $200. However, for new child support cases, you will have to file either a divorce (see Divorce or Separation retainer quote) or an out-of-wedlock civil paternity action (see Custody or Visitation retainer quote), and will be charged those amounts even if all you seek is to receive support. For new alimony case, you will need to file a divorce, in which case you should refer to that retainer quote.
$500 AND UP
Starts off at a base of $500 for child support or spousal support (i.e., alimony) modification and collection cases, whether through D.H.S. or the District Court. If you are the one seeking to change the current child support or alimony amount or collect the back-due child support or alimony owed, add $200. However, for new child support cases, you will have to file either a divorce (see Divorce or Separation retainer quote) or an out-of-wedlock civil paternity action (see Custody or Visitation retainer quote), and will be charged those amounts even if all you seek is to receive support. For new alimony case, you will need to file a divorce, in which case you should refer to that retainer quote.
GUARDIANSHIP OR
ADOPTION
$800 AND UP
ANYWHERE FROM $800 to $1000. Starts off at $800 for people seeking to get a guardianship in place or to fight against a pending action or terminate a current guardianship order. If you are the person seeking the guardianship and no case has yet been filed, add $100. If a protective order case is pending between you and an acquaintance or relative who would be involved in the case, add $100. For adoptions, apply the above amounts for guardianships but add $100 to any of the above situations, as adoptions are a great deal more time and work than guardianships. E-mail or call my office, and I will calculate the retainer quote for you.
$800 AND UP
ANYWHERE FROM $800 to $1000. Starts off at $800 for people seeking to get a guardianship in place or to fight against a pending action or terminate a current guardianship order. If you are the person seeking the guardianship and no case has yet been filed, add $100. If a protective order case is pending between you and an acquaintance or relative who would be involved in the case, add $100. For adoptions, apply the above amounts for guardianships but add $100 to any of the above situations, as adoptions are a great deal more time and work than guardianships. E-mail or call my office, and I will calculate the retainer quote for you.
My Fees
JOEL K. MITCHELL,
Attorney-at-Law
Attorney-at-Law
DO I HAVE TO PAY YOUR RETAINER ALL UPFRONT, OR CAN I MAKE PAYMENTS?
Yes, I want it upfront; and sorry, but no, you cannot make payments on it. That's why I call it the "required upfront amount," and that is not necessarily the total amount you are going to pay in the end. I do pay any initial filing fee and initial service cost out of your retainer. Any other costs are billed to you later. The rest of the retainer pays me for my work at the rate of $150 per hour for all work done on the case except for communications with the client, which are only $50 per hour. If your retainer gets used up, I send you a statement and you have a month to pay it.
IF THE CASE QUICKLY
SETTLES, CAN I GET SOME
OF MY MONEY BACK?
Yes. In that event, you may receive a refund of attorney's fees not earned. However, in many instances all of the retainer is earned and depleted. In any event, I can prepare a statement at the conclusion of my representation for you.
IF MY SPOUSE OR THE OPPOSING PARTY AND I MAKE UP OR RECONCILE, WILL I GET MY MONEY BACK?
Yes, if I have not done any work yet, you would receive a full refund. However, in many instances I start working on cases as soon as I am retainer. I can prepare a statement at the conclusion of my representation of you. You will be refunded any remaining retainer. Refunds cannot be cash but must come from a check drawn from my client trust account.
Yes. In that event, you may receive a refund of attorney's fees not earned. However, in many instances all of the retainer is earned and depleted. In any event, I can prepare a statement at the conclusion of my representation for you.
IF MY SPOUSE OR THE OPPOSING PARTY AND I MAKE UP OR RECONCILE, WILL I GET MY MONEY BACK?
Yes, if I have not done any work yet, you would receive a full refund. However, in many instances I start working on cases as soon as I am retainer. I can prepare a statement at the conclusion of my representation of you. You will be refunded any remaining retainer. Refunds cannot be cash but must come from a check drawn from my client trust account.
WHAT FORMS OF
PAYMENT DO YOU
ACCEPT?
Cash, money order, cashier's check, personal check, VISA credit or debit card, Mastercard credit or debit card, and Paypal, and I prefer them in that order from most preferred to least preferred. To facilitate payment, we may scan a credit card at our office or take a credit card number over the telephone. Also, if you have a PayPal account, you can pay me that way online. My PayPal account is registered under the e-mail address jk_mitchell@sbcglobal.net. For more information about PayPal, visit www.paypal.com. Understand that if you pay by personal check, I will wait 7 days for the check to clear before I begin work on your case, and if your Court is less than 7 days away, you will have to pay by another form of payment.
Cash, money order, cashier's check, personal check, VISA credit or debit card, Mastercard credit or debit card, and Paypal, and I prefer them in that order from most preferred to least preferred. To facilitate payment, we may scan a credit card at our office or take a credit card number over the telephone. Also, if you have a PayPal account, you can pay me that way online. My PayPal account is registered under the e-mail address jk_mitchell@sbcglobal.net. For more information about PayPal, visit www.paypal.com. Understand that if you pay by personal check, I will wait 7 days for the check to clear before I begin work on your case, and if your Court is less than 7 days away, you will have to pay by another form of payment.
DO YOU CHARGE FOR
TIME SPENT DRIVING TO
COURT?
No, not typically. If Court is within 1 hour and 15 minutes drive-time from my Collinsville office, my gasoline and travel time expended are free to you. If travel time is more than that one way, I may charge for travel time for the amount in excess of those 75 minutes BOTH ways and, in such event, would amend your fee Agreement with to state so. Muskogee is the further county I travel to without charging anything extra. Tulsa, Washington, Rogers, and even Wagoner and Osage counties are all fair game and well within a one-hour (i.e., free) drive. Pawnee and Okemah are just a little bit over the line. Depending on how many times I think we will travel to Court, I will add to my upfront retainer accordingly. Contact me for further info.
No, not typically. If Court is within 1 hour and 15 minutes drive-time from my Collinsville office, my gasoline and travel time expended are free to you. If travel time is more than that one way, I may charge for travel time for the amount in excess of those 75 minutes BOTH ways and, in such event, would amend your fee Agreement with to state so. Muskogee is the further county I travel to without charging anything extra. Tulsa, Washington, Rogers, and even Wagoner and Osage counties are all fair game and well within a one-hour (i.e., free) drive. Pawnee and Okemah are just a little bit over the line. Depending on how many times I think we will travel to Court, I will add to my upfront retainer accordingly. Contact me for further info.
www.OklahomaDivorceAttorney.com
E-mail me now at jkm@oklahomadivorceattorney.com or call at (918) 230-5844