A:Our office is typically open weekdays from 8:30 am to 5 pm; however, we offer night and weekend consultations by appointment. We understand that the divorce process is difficult enough financially without having to take time off work to meet with attorneys. Once you have retained our firm, we will continue to work with you at times that are convenient for you. Please note that if you would like return phone calls or meetings at night or weekends, they should be scheduled in advance if possible.

A:400 S. 5th Street, Suite 303, Columbus, Ohio 43215.  

A:If you have been served with paperwork and have it available, please bring that. 

A:No. We will often discuss sensitive information; therefore, children should not be present. Even if you do not believe that the conversation will contain anything the child should not hear, being at a lawyers’ office is just plain not fun and the process often takes even longer if there are children who often need attention breaks. We offer very flexible hours for appointments which should allow you to find child care for the short amount of time you will be at the office.

A:We offer a free phone consultation as well as a free half-hour in person consultation.

A:Our attorney hourly rates vary based upon experience. Currently, they range from $150-$300 per hour. We use support staff to perform as many tasks as possible to lower the effective hourly rate.

A:A retainer is a lump sum of money required to be deposited with the firm and is held in trust until it is earned. It is a common practice for attorneys to require retainers prior to working on a legal matter. While we do require retainers, the amount of the retainer varies based upon the type and complexity of the legal matter. A retainer for a short-term marriage with no children, no real estate, and no retirement is going to be different than a retainer for a long-term marriage with children, spousal support, real estate, and retirement.

A:It depends…. The single biggest factor in the cost of a divorce is how well you and your spouse can work together to separate your affairs. It is extremely possible for people with complex factors, which normally increase the price of divorce, to reach a settlement quickly and amicably for relatively little money. On the other hand, it is equally possible for people who do not have a complex scenario to fight tooth and nail. Most people fall in between. Often people can agree about many aspects of the marriage termination, but they need help negotiating a few items. That can go smoothly, but not necessarily. We have seen people fight for things that do not financially make sense (like spending thousands of dollars fighting over a piece of gym equipment that is only worth a few hundred); but we have also seen people not want to fight for things (like spousal support) that do make financial sense. If you hire us, it is our job to give you the best, most ethical advice we can to assist you in making decisions as to how your case should proceed. We understand that family matters involve emotions as well as finance. We will give you advice based upon decades of experience. We will do what we can to keep the costs as low as possible, while providing the best possible representation.

A:A dissolution is when the parties have come to a complete resolution of all matters prior to filing anything with the court. Many people believe that dissolutions cost less than divorces. We even see that claim on some attorneys’ websites. That is an oversimplification and not necessarily true. Once again, the biggest factor in cost has to do with how well you and your spouse work together without the assistance of attorneys. A dissolution that attorneys work behind the scenes negotiating for months – or years – does not necessarily cost less than a divorce. Quite frankly, it is not unusual to have attorneys negotiate for months only to reach an impasse that requires that a contested divorce be filed. 

A:Yes, we do! If you and your spouse are in agreement about every aspect of the termination of your marriage, we can absolutely arrange a flat fee dissolution or uncontested divorce. The price depends on what paperwork is required. The divorce/dissolution process can be overwhelming, even if you are in agreement. We will complete all the necessary paperwork and guide you through it. Using a private judge option in these cases can even allow you to avoid having to appear in court.

A:The process can be completed in as little as a month or as long as multiple years. In general, courts in Ohio mandate that a divorce without children should be completed within one year, for a divorce with children it is a year-and-a-half, from the time of filing the initial complaint. Most courts strive to complete cases well within these timeframes, but occasionally cases do take longer. This is one reason why it is extremely important to select an attorney you trust to guide you through this process.

A:Going through a divorce or custody battle can be emotionally and financially draining. It is extremely important to select an attorney with whom you feel comfortable. The ideal attorney should have experience, integrity, and empathy. The attorney should be able to vigilantly represent your interests and yet ethically guide you. You will find that we at Boller & Petty represent those core values.