• Do you charge for a consultation?

Yes. Currently, the case assessment fee is $300. Most people assume lawyers do not charge for consultations. This is true if you are talking to a personal injury attorney. Most personal injury attorneys screen their calls through an operator or secretary and only consult with clients who meet whatever criteria the attorney has established. Personal injury attorneys take their fee from the recovery on a contingent fee basis. In other words, they are paid from any settlement or award. Normally the payment is one-third of any recovery.

On the other hand, a Divorce or Family Law attorney is paid for their time and their expertise. No one goes to the doctor for an examination and expects a free consultation. The same concept applies in the case of a domestic and family law attorney meeting with a potential client regarding a legal problem. As Abraham Lincoln once stated: “A lawyer’s time and advice are his stock in trade.”

Some divorce and family law attorneys will meet and not charge for a consultation. That is their right. I am of the belief that you get what you pay for. I try to give value for a consultation.

• What kind of cases do you handle?

I am a General Practice Attorney with specialization in Divorce and Family Law. This essentially means I handle any case involving domestic relations law or any case that is covered by Title 6(A) of the Tennessee Code Annotated.

I handle divorces, post-divorce issues, custody, visitation, child support, paternity, contempt actions (petitions for contempt for failure to allow visitation or a petition for contempt for failure to pay child support), adoptions, and name changes. Matters such as conservatorships, simple wills, living wills, and powers of attorney are also a large part of the practice.

I do practice criminal law or criminal defense as well. Most of my criminal law practice involves crimes of a non heinous nature to include traffic violations and assault. You will need to contact my office and set up a consultation if you have a criminal law matter. If it is a case I choose not to handle, I would be glad to refer the case to a competent attorney.

I do also handle real estate closings and work closely with area title companies for title insurance.

• Where is your office located, what are your hours, and how do you meet with prospective clients?

We are located at 1810 Merchant Dr., Knoxville, TN 37912 across the street from Norwood Elementary School. We are open Monday through Thursday 9am to 5pm, and Friday & Saturday by appointment only. We prefer to meet with prospective clients in person but under certain circumstances, will schedule Zoom or telephone meetings.

• What is your communication policy in reference to phone calls and walk ups?

Essentially my communication policy and the policy at Norwood Law Office is I do not accept inbound unscheduled phone calls or walk-ups during the day. This policy makes me much more productive and focused on my work. Focusing on a case or problem without interruptions will result in better quality work and sometimes fewer billable hours. That saves the client money.

You can always schedule an in-person or phone appointment, usually within 24-48 hours. My staff is experienced at recognizing true emergencies and will bring true emergencies to my immediate attention. The best way to contact me is to call the office and make a “phone appointment”.

If there is one thing I dislike more than anything it is playing the “phone tag” game. If you call my office expecting to speak with me, more often than not you will be disappointed. I am usually in court, meeting with a client, or preparing for court, etc. If you leave a message and I call back and you are not available, we have begun the “phone tag” game which can last for hours or days. Therefore, schedule a phone appointment.

Knowing when to call or to expect a call is much better and satisfying than calling each other and missing each other. A phone appointment insures you and I both know for sure when we are available to speak on the phone. It saves us both time and money.

• How much will my case cost?

Our office receives numerous calls every day from individuals asking about the price of a divorce, the cost of a custody fight, the cost to establish child support, the price of a petition for contempt, etc. Everyone wants to know the “cost” or “price” with reference to their particular legal problem. That is a natural question and I would probably want to know the same thing. I know when I go to the dentist for dental work I want to know how much it is going to cost.

Uncontested divorces, name changes, uncontested adoptions and the like are usually quoted as a flat fee. The flat fee will not include a filing fee the court clerk requires and will be expected to be paid outside of the stated fee.

Contested matters are different. I generally charge a retainer which is designed to encompass all of the costs and billable hours, if possible. Sometimes the retainer is exhausted. If this happens, I reevaluate as to where the case is and require another retainer unless other agreements are reached between my office and the client. You may request a copy of the retainer agreement I use. The retainer is billed at my normal hourly rate and is considered earned in full once paid. In certain circumstances, I may return funds if the case does not go as long as we expect.

• Why will you not tell me with certainty, what will happen in my case nor guarantee the outcome of my case?

A good attorney will never make a guarantee about the outcome of a case. No attorney should tell a client exactly what will happen in a given case. An attorney should only tell a client the best case scenario, the worst case scenario, and the most likely scenario and then advise the client. The client makes the final decision.

Some judges are very predictable with reference to a certain set of facts. Some judges are unpredictable no matter what kind of case is before them. What I generally do is take all factors into consideration and evaluate your case based upon the facts. We can then talk about what a judge may or may not do and your options. Every case is different. Do not compare your case to others. I will give the most educated evaluation that 20+ years of practice have shown but every case is unique and every case has unknown variables.