Family Law

All types of family law including: dissolution of marriage, separation, property settlement agreements, cohabitation agreements, establishing or modifying child support, establishing or modifying parenting schedules, adoption, name change.

• Mediation/Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
• Name Changes
• Restraining Orders
• Enforcement Actions

• Child Abuse
• Domestic Violence
• Sexual Abuse

• Adoptions
• Child Support
• Children's Rights
• Custody
• Foster Care
• Paternity
• State Child Protection
• Visitation

• Civil Unions
• Common Law Marriage
• Domestic Partnerships
• Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgender Rights
• Living Together/Cohabitation
• Marriage
• Power of Attorney
• Prenuptial & Postnuptial Agreements

• Age Discrimination
• Competency Hearings
• Guardianships & Conservatorships
• Long-Term Care
• Powers of Attorney
• Advanced Health Care Directive
• Healthcare Power of Attorney

• Grandparent Rights
• Termination of Parental Rights

Divorce

All types of family law including: dissolution of marriage, separation, property settlement agreements, cohabitation agreements, establishing or modifying child support, establishing or modifying parenting schedules, adoption, name change.

• Alimony/Palimony/Spousal Support
• Annulment
• Child Support
• Custody/Visitation Rights
• Delinquent Support Payments
• Division of Property
• Mediation/Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR)
• Restraining Orders
• Uncontested Divorce
• Collaborative Law
• Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgender (LGBT) Rights

MT, Sep 1993
Bar Number: 3902

Montana State Bar does not allow attorneys to advertise as "specialists." My emphasis and concentration is on family law issues.

Montana District and Supreme Courts.

American Bar Association, Montana State Bar, Western Montana Bar Association, and Western Montana Bar Pro Bono Program.

The Montana State Bar requires a minimum of 15 credits each year, and allows attorneys to "roll over" credits over 15 to the next year's requirement. I usually roll over 15 to 20 extra credits each year. My focus is on family law in general, and particularly parent/child issues, child development, continuing guardian ad litem training, continuing mediation and alternate dispute resolution training. For several years, I taught the Introduction to Family Law program for the Western Montana Bar Pro Bono Program. I presented two programs in 2008 for the National Solo Small Firm Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I will present two similar programs at the Indiana State Bar Solo Small Firm Conference in June of 2009.

• Law Office Computing, I reviewed WordPerfect 8, Oliver's Cases, and KidMate
• American Bar Association General Practice Solo and Small Firm Division's GPSolo Magazine, Rainmaking
• Short articles for DivorceNet and Families First client handbook

As different as family situations are, their family dynamics and difficulties are equally different. The easiest case I've had was resolved before the client hired me. The parties had thoroughly and amicably discussed every aspect of their dissolution, and then one party hired me to present it to the court. We received the final decree within 30 days of filing the petition.

The most difficult cases took more than four years, hindered by threats, hidden assets, withholding the children, falsely accusing one parent of abuse. It is not unusual for one or both parties to be hostile with each other, or one party is an active or recovering substance abuser who tries to hide relapses, or the opposing party to be dangerous enough to require an order of protection, to dissolutions and parenting matters in which the parents put their hurt aside to work as a team to create a parenting plan that first meets the children's needs and then the parents' needs. Some cases involve clients who have been clean and sober and could have successfully petitioned the court for increased parenting time until they were arrested for the third or fourth relapse (alcohol in one case, methamphetamine in another). Most cases are not so dramatic. In most cases, my clients use mediation to settle their disputed issues. Occasionally, parents can put their hurt aside to work as a team, creating a parenting plan that is best for the children, with the parents' preferences come second.

1

Montana

I focus on providing affordable representation in Missoula and Ravalli Counties, in Western Montana.

I also focus on establishing a professional and personal relationship with clients. Family law issues are intensely personal to the client and often highly emotional. Many clients have never retained an attorney or navigated a dissolution of marriage ("divorce") or a challenge to their parenting ("custody"). It is important to me that my clients trust me to guide them through a legal maze for which they have no road map.

I believe that family issues do not belong in an adversarial court setting. I am a strong believer in allowing clients a chance to meet with counsel in a safe environment to fully discuss their goals and, with guidance from the attorney and a mediator, to craft an agreement that is mutually beneficial to both parties and their children. Most important, mediation allows the parents to craft a parenting schedule that is uniquely suited to their children, rather than fighting in court and relinquishing their choices to the presiding judge.

I established a solo practice in 1993. My officemate and I were remodeling and painting our office space while we were waiting for our bar results. We had to be busy to keep from chewing our fingernails to the quick.

My first job was as a riding instructor at Angelico Creek Farm Riding School in Vienna, Virginia, teaching very young children, children with disabilities, and children and teens without disabilities. Before and after each day's class, I was responsible for cleaning stalls, bringing the horses in, helping students brush and saddle their horses, and I guided them through the process of caring for their horses after the class. Aside from fresh baked bread, there's nothing like the smell of a horse barn, of hay and clean leather.

After high school, my worked moved indoors. I worked as a secretary at Documentation Incorporated, Bethesda, Maryland. I had a lot of spare time so I also learned how to assemble and wire microfiche readers when they were still new (yes, a long time ago).

I later moved into an apartment in Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), and worked through a temp agency for a variety of employers, including the German owner of a camera and photo equipment shop, whose German typewriter typed German characters (that made for some very interesting letters).

Secretary, print production assistant, technical editor at Bird Engineering-Research Associates, Inc., Vienna, Virginia.

Moved to Missoula County, Montana, in 1974. First job was swamping a bar. I will not describe what that was like, but I will say that it taught me never ever complain about housecleaning!

Secretary and general assistant at Rock & Roll Promotions.

After my first child was born, I was a full-time mom, child educator and nursemaid, organic gardener, landscaping and yard maintenance, caretaker for stock, field hand, food preservation and preparation specialist (canning and freezing the garden produce, cooking, baking), residential heating specialist (splitting firewood for the woodstove), laundress. All this was considered "not working" back then because it wasn't a paying job.

Returned to school on the drop-edge of 30 to complete my Bachelor of Social Work, worked part time as an academic adviser for students on academic probation or suspension.

Attended law school, interning for a year at Montana Legal Services Corporation in Missoula, Montana. Immediately upon graduation from law school, opened a solo practice, sharing office space with a fellow graduate for the first few years. I have a solo practice. Although it's still an indoor job, I have a wonderful view of the Sapphire Mountains and, at this moment, the wind buffeting the trees as it pushes a spring snow along the valley.

I act as Justice of the Peace pro tem in Department II, hearing jury and nonjury civil trials, order of protection hearings, traffic court, and initial appearances in criminal cases.

I am active in various local organizations that provide pro bono legal help to low income clients. For Montana Legal Service Corp's Family Law Advice Clinic, I have taught the Introduction to Family Law class and assisted individual parties in completing their court documents for filing. I am active in the Western Montana Bar Pro Bono Program as a pro bono attorney and as a mentor to a pro bono attorney taking a family law case for the first time. I received the annual Montana State Bar Pro Bono Service Award, the annual Western Montana Bar Association's Public Service Award, and receive recognition each year for my participation in pro bono representation.

(406) 273-6626

Monday through Thursday

9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Closed Friday.

No

I usually charge by the hour because family law cases vary in complexity and length of time involved. For uncontested dissolutions, parenting matters, and child support matters, I sometimes charge a flat fee for each stage of the matter. For service members on active duty, and after some discussion of the case, I offer a flat fee based on the complexity of the matter.

$150 per hour, $125 per hour to service members on active duty.

I offer a 30 minute and a 60 minute consultation at my hourly rate.

I offer several payment options. The retainer amount is in proportion to the number of issues involved, the complexity of the issues, and other factors including how difficult the parties are to work with.