Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of the frequently asked questions we receive. Feel free to contact us if your question does not appear.
What are your hours?
We are open and available by appointment from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. By appointment, we can occasionally meet with clients after hours and on weekends. Our spacious office suite includes a large conference room able to accommodate up to 10 persons comfortably.
Do you provide free consultations?
Depending on the nature of your legal matter, we do in some cases provide free consultations.
In what geographical areas do you practice?
Mr. Jones is licensed to practice in the courts of the state of Texas as well as the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. In addition, he has been admitted to practice pro hac vice for individual cases in places as far away as New York, California, Louisiana, Kentucky and Virginia. His primary practice area is the DFW metroplex, including Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton and Rockwall counties.
How do you set fees on family law matters?
Since each family law matter is unique, fees are set on a case-by-case basis but are generally billed on an hourly basis. The amount you can expect to pay depends on a number of factors, including but not limited to the following: (1) Is your matter expected to be contested or agreed? (2) Are there minor children involved? (3) Will there be a dispute over property division, child custody arrangements, child support or other matters? We can usually provide an estimate of expected fees, though in some cases, it may be difficult to predict the total fees.
How long does it take to get a will?
In most cases, once you provide us with the necessary information for drafting your will, it can be prepared and ready for your review within just a few days.
How long does it take to set up a corporation, limited liability company or partnership?
Generally, once we obtain all the necessary information from you to set up your entity, we can have everything ready for your review and execution, and you can begin operating under your new entity within two to three days.
Do you handle criminal defense matters or file bankruptcy petitions for individuals or businesses?
No. However, we do provide creditor representation in bankruptcy matters.
Do you handle probate matters?
Yes. If you need to probate a will, we can represent you. Probate in Texas is in most cases a fairly simple, uncontested process. It involves filing a proper application to probate the will, a court appearance to have the court approve the will and appoint an administrator, followed by the filing of an inventory and appraisement of the estate’s property. We also handle the mailing and publishing of required notices. Of course, not every estate or probate matter may be uncontested and there are a variety of other procedures for probating a will, or administering a decedent’s estate.
What about estate matters where the deceased left no will?
This situation, referred to as an “intestate” matter, involves different procedures than administering the estate of a person who left a written will. Intestate matters, like the probating of a will, are governed by the Texas Probate Code. While administering the estate of a person who dies without a will is not as simple as that involving a written will, it is a process that we can expertly and efficiently handle for you with a minimum of effort on your part.
What is the process for getting a divorce?
In general, the process involves (1) filing a petition for divorce; (2) serving the legal papers on the other spouse (unless the spouse agrees to sign a waiver of service); (3) waiting 60 days before you can actually be divorced; and (4) either reaching an agreement with your spouse on property, child custody, and child support issues or proceeding with a trial on those issues. If you need temporary orders from the court to govern these issues pending final trial or a final agreement, then you will need either to agree with your spouse on the terms of those temporary orders, or ask the court to enter orders after a temporary orders hearing. After that, if you reach an agreement with your spouse on the final divorce terms (custody, support, property issues, etc.), an agreed decree of divorce is drafted, approved by the parties and their attorneys and submitted to the court after a brief hearing. If you cannot reach an agreement with your spouse on the final decree provisions, there may be a substantial delay before your case is called for trial. Depending on the county and the nature of the disputed issues, the time from filing to trial can range from several months to a year.
Do you accept credit cards for payment of fees?
Yes, we can accept payment on VISA, Mastercard, and American Express.
How long have you been at your location?
We have been at our current location since 1995.
Below are some additional links that might be helpful to you:
Attorney General Child Support website
Still have questions? Please contact us anytime! We look forward to hearing from you.
