Before you call
Questions people ask at the front door
If yours isn’t here, call. A question costs nothing to ask.
What does the first call cost?
Nothing. We talk for ten or fifteen minutes, and I tell you whether you need a lawyer and, if so, whether it should be me.
How do you charge?
Most matters have a flat fee, written in a short letter before I start. Disputes that could run long are billed by the hour, at the rate the letter states. Court costs, filing fees and recording fees are always separate, and I tell you roughly what they’ll be.
What kinds of cases do you take?
Farm and land matters, small-business work, and traffic and misdemeanor cases. I send divorce, custody, debt, injury and felony cases to lawyers who do that work every day.
Will I talk to you, or to staff?
To me. It’s a one-lawyer office with one assistant, and she’ll tell you when I can call back.
Can we meet outside office hours?
Yes. Harvest and calving don’t keep office hours, so evenings and the occasional Saturday morning are fine with notice.
Do you come out to the farm?
Sometimes it’s the easiest way to understand a fence line or a family. We can talk about it on the first call.
What should I bring to the first meeting?
Anything with writing on it: the lease, the ticket, the purchase offer, the old will. And a list of questions, because people forget them once they sit down.
Is what I tell you confidential?
What you tell me while asking for legal advice is protected. Please still keep confidential details out of the website form; tell me on the phone or in the office instead.
Still wondering if you need a lawyer?
That’s what the first call is for. It costs nothing.