Family Law Frequently Asked Questions

What are your Consultation Fees?

This office does charge a fee for consultations for family law cases.

½ hour consult = $125.00

1 hour consult = $250.00

How much will my divorce/custody case cost?

We are proud to offer flat fee services for our divorce and custody cases. We have been doing this since 2016, and have found that clients are very satisfied with, and actually prefer, this method of billing. In this time of unknowns, it is nice to know that you will pay a fee, and not have to worry about getting monthly bills or whether or not you can afford to call your attorney. We collect a flat fee to begin the case that estimates time required to get you a negotiated settlement. If the cases settles, you are done and pay nothing more. If the case does not settle, and a trial is necessary, we sit down and discuss what will be necessary to prepare for and complete a trial.

Once a fee is agreed upon, that second flat fee is paid for the trial. To give prospective clients an idea of the range for the initial fee, the minimum would be $1,500 for any case – which would most likely be a lightly or non-contested divorce. For a custody matter, the initial flat fee would be from $3,500 to $8,000 (or higher), depending upon the client’s circumstances, wealth and complexity of assets/income/expenses. Other factors that can impact the fee are:

1) Opposing counsel’s reputation for causing unnecessary work;
2) If the client requires a lot of contact and attention;
3) If the other party is extremely angry and difficult to work with – i.e. they are more interested in getting a pound of flesh and revenge, than settling their differences; and,
4) highly contentious cases involving allegations of abuse, child abuse, sexual abuse, protection orders, and addiction/criminal histories.

Fees for trial depend on the time and preparation needed for trial. All expenses are separate from the flat fee, and are billed as incurred. No significant expenses, such as expert witness and deposition expenses, are incurred without prior client approval. A sample flat fee agreement is attached for your reference here.

What is a No Fault Divorce?

Nebraska has adopted the "no-fault" divorce law, making it generally unnecessary to prove cruelty, adultery, etc., in order to obtain a divorce. As long as one spouse believes the marriage is "irretrievably broken", the Nebraska courts will grant a dissolution of marriage. Generally speaking, evidence concerning what went wrong with the marriage or who desires the marriage to end is irrelevant.

What is a Legal Separation?

A legal separation action may be filed if the parties cannot meet the Nebraska residency requirements for filing a dissolution of marriage action (divorce). In some limited circumstances, if a husband and wife are separated and require court assistance in the determination of custody, financial support and division of property and debts, a formal legal separation action may be filed. It is not necessary to file a legal separation action if you and your spouse wish to be separated and can amenably decide how to handle the issues mentioned above.

What are Residency Requirements for filing a divorce?

Prior to filing a complaint for dissolution of marriage, it is generally necessary that you or your spouse have resided in Nebraska for at least one (1) year or if your marriage occurred in Nebraska, that you have lived in Nebraska since the time of your marriage.

Does the law require that I participate in any Counseling?

The courts in Nebraska do not require the parties to engage in marital counseling prior to entering a decree of dissolution and will not order the parties to receive counseling, unless both are in agreement.

We are not trained to professionally assist you with your emotional issues, but there are many services available to assist you with your emotional issues during and/or after your divorce. We will be happy to recommend a counseling service, if you so desire. Counseling can be a great benefit for both parents and children.

What will I need to tell my attorney and what happens with the information?

It is very important that you be completely open and honest with your attorney. Without full knowledge of the facts concerning your case, your attorney cannot adequately prepare for the case. All information you give to your attorney and his staff is confidential. Nebraska law provides for attorney-client privilege. This means an attorney and/or his staff cannot be forced to testify about any confidential communications between himself or herself and the client, without the client's permission.

How do I start the divorce process?

A dissolution of marriage (or legal separation) action is commenced by filing a complaint in the district court of the county in which you reside. This complaint will contain the general facts concerning your marriage, and will contain a very general statement concerning what you will be asking the court to do, i.e. award custody of children, award child support and/or alimony, divide property and debts, etc. The person filing the complaint is called the Plaintiff, with the other spouse being called the Defendant. In general, it does not make any legal difference which party files the action. However, it will be necessary for the Plaintiff seeking a divorce to allege and ultimately testify that he or she believes the marriage to be irretrievably broken and ask the court to dissolve the marriage.

How will my spouse be notified that I am filing for divorce?

It is necessary to serve the Defendant with a copy of the Complaint and whatever other pleadings may be filed with the Complaint. Nebraska law requires that the Defendant be personally served with the Complaint and Summons, and this is completed by the local sheriff's department or a private process server. The Summons contains an answer date by which time the Defendant is to file an Answer to the Complaint. The Defendant is given thirty (30) days from the date of service to file an Answer. If nothing is filed by the date set out in the Summons, the Plaintiff may obtain a default judgment.

To avoid having to be served by a Sheriff or private process server, the Defendant may sign a Voluntary Appearance acknowledging the receipt of a copy of the Complaint and any other pleadings.

What are Ex Parte Orders?

Ex Parte Orders are orders issued by the Court without allowing notice to the other party and an opportunity for the other party to present their side of the story. They are issued for emergencies only. The parties may obtain ex parte orders at the time the Complaint is filed, however, these orders only remain in force for ten days by statute or until a hearing is held before the court. Generally, the temporary hearing is held within two (2) weeks after service of the Defendant. If the parties can agree on the temporary issues, there is no need for a temporary hearing or court involvement.

How do I obtain a Domestic Abuse or Harassment Protection Order?

Separate protection order proceedings are available through the District Court if physical abuse or harassment is a factor in your case. To learn more, please go to the following link: http://www.supremecourt.ne.gov/self-help/protection.html

What is the "Parenting Act" and how does it affect my case?

To see the Nebraska Parenting Act Informational Brochure, follow the link below:

http://www.supremecourt.ne.gov/mediation/pdf/brochures/Parenting_Act_Info_Brochure.pdf

On June 3, 2010, the Nebraska Supreme Court approved the following amendments to Rule of the District Court of the 11^th Judicial District.

Rule 11-4: Contested Custody Cases – Compliance with Parenting Act

1. No contested case which involves custody of, or parenting time or visitation with, any minor child or children may be set for final hearing by any attorney or self-represented party unless the following documents have been filed with the Clerk of the District Court.
   1. Attorney Certificates of Providing Parenting Act Information signed by each attorney who has entered an appearance in the case or, for self-represented individuals, a verified and sworn statement from each parent that each has received and read the Nebraska Parenting Act Information brochure.
   2. A completed Financial Affidavit for Child Support signed by each party.
   3. Certificates of Completion of an approved Basic Level Parenting Education Course signed by each parent.
   4. An affidavit signed by a qualified mediator or specialized Alternative Dispute Resolution Facilitator approved by the Nebraska Office of Dispute Resolution setting forth facts to show both parties met for at least one session lasting 2 hours or more in a good faith attempt to settle the issues relating to custody parenting time, or visitation.
2. Any of the foregoing requirements may be waived by the court upon a showing of good cause and compliance with applicable rules and statutes.
3. All such documents shall be the same as, or substantially similar to, the forms relating to divorce and parenting found on the Nebraska Judicial Branch Web site.
4. If a party fails or refuses to comply with any part of this rule, the opposing party may file a motion to compel, for sanctions, or for other relief which will be scheduled for hearing by the court.

Required Parenting Education Course

Certificate of Completion of Parenting Education Course

Both parents must attend a basic level parenting education course prior to the final hearing/trial being scheduled. You will need to provide your attorney with a copy of the certificate of completion that will be given to you by the provider of the parenting education course. Your attorney will then file a copy of the Certificate from the provider showing that you completed the Parenting Education Course with the Court.

What issues will the Court decide at a hearing on Temporary matters?

Because a final hearing cannot be held for at least sixty (60) days after service upon the Defendant, the court has authority to enter various temporary orders, which include the following:

(a) Temporary Child Custody: Neb.Rev. Stat. §42-357(3) allows the court to issue ex parte orders (an order rendered without giving the adverse party notice and an opportunity to present evidence and be heard) determining the temporary custody of any minor children of the marriage. It may or may not be in both your and your children's best interest to obtain an ex parte custody order. You should discuss the advantages of seeking such an order with your attorney.

(b) Temporary Child and Spousal Support: §42-357 allows the court to order either party to pay to the clerk a sum of money for the temporary support and maintenance of the other party and minor children and to enable such party to prosecute or defend the action. The court may make such order after service of process and claim for temporary allowances as made in the petition or by motion by the petitioner or by the respondent in a responsive pleading; but no such order shall be entered before three (3) days after notice of hearing has been served on the other party or notice waived.

Will I have to pay Alimony or Spousal Support?

The Court may order payment of alimony/spousal support by one party to the other, taking into consideration the circumstances of the parties, the length of the marriage (usually must be a minimum of 5 years), a history of the contributions to the marriage by each party, including contributions to the care and education of the children, and interruption of personal careers or education opportunities, and the ability of the supported person to engage in gainful employment without interfering with the interest of any minor children.

How will the Court divide Property and Debts?

All assets and debts acquired during the course of the marriage are to be fairly divided. If the parties are in agreement with regard to these divisions, the Court will not generally inquire into the fairness of the division, however, in the event that the parties are unable to agree on the division, the Court will generally attempt to give each party an equal share of property and likewise, split the debts in an equitable fashion. Nebraska case law has held that a 50/50 split, up to a 66/34 split, can be fair and equitable.

Can my spouse claim any interest in property I received as a gift or inheritance, or property I had before the marriage?

The answer is "maybe." If you have received a gift or inheritance during the marriage, you may be able to exclude it from the marital estate. This means that your ex-spouse may not be entitled to any portion of the gifted or inherited property. This applies with premarital property as well. Schedule a consultation to determine what your rights are under Nebraska law.

How soon can I get a divorce?

Nebraska law requires a sixty (60) day waiting period from the time of filing the Complaint and service upon the Defendant before the final hearing, but the actual lapse of time may vary. This depends upon the complexity of the case, whether there are contested issues, and the status of the court docket. During the waiting period, attempts may be made to negotiate a settlement agreement between the parties to decide issues of child custody, child support, visitation, alimony, property division, debt allocation, responsibility for health insurance and expenses relating to minor children, day care expenses, attorney fees, and the allocation of income tax exemptions.

If the parties reach an agreement and a Settlement Agreement is signed and filed, then the final hearing conducted by the Court is simple and short. However, if the parties are unable to reach an agreement, a contested final hearing/trial is scheduled/held.

** One may not schedule a contested final hearing where custody or visitation is at issue until the following requirements have been completed: 1) Each parent has completed the Parenting Education Course; and, 2) Each parent has participated in at least two hours of mediation. (See Rule 11-4 and Parenting Act Information regarding Parenting Education Course and Mediation topics above)

At trial, both parties present evidence concerning the issues in the case and the District Judge makes the final decision on the contested issues. Once the Court enters a Decree of Dissolution, it is not final for a period of thirty (30) days from the date it is filed, and the parties are considered legally married during this time. You must wait six (6) months from the filing date of the Decree to remarry. Additionally, a spouse may be required by the Court to maintain existing health-related insurance for the other spouse during the six (6) months immediately following the entry of the Decree.