Full Representation

Of course, Attorney Shelly John is available to provide you with all legal services in your family law matter.  Full Representation includes those services one typically thinks of when they think of “hiring a lawyer.”  These include devising a case plan, drafting paperwork, collecting documents and information through the discovery process, appearing in Court, engaging in meaningful attempts to settle your case, keeping you informed of all aspects of your case and answering all of your questions.  After payment of a Fee Deposit, you will be billed only for the actual time that Attorney John or the staff work on your case.  Attorney John believes that the most successful outcomes are those based on agreements between the parties.  Therefore, where a case concludes based upon a Settlement Agreement or reconcilliation,  Attorney John offers a “Refundable Fee Deposit” for any unused portion of the Fee Deposit.

When you need a lawyer to speak for your interests at certain events, such as a hearing, trial or settlement negotiations, Attorney Shelly Jean John is available on a “Limited Scope” basis. This is an excellent option for people who are content to handle the other aspects of their case (such as paperwork) but who are not comfortable speaking to the Judge or negotiating an agreement with the opposing attorney.  These services are offered as a “flat-rate” so you will have the peace of mind of knowing your fees and can better implement your budget.  The fees for representation at a hearing or short cause trial range from $1,000 to $1,750.

In order for Attorney Shelly John to best represent you, it is preferred that you hire her 3 to 6 weeks prior to your hearing.  This allows time for any Supplemental documents to be obtained and filed prior to your hearing.

Attorney Shelly John is also available to assist in all other aspects of your case, including depositions, discovery requests and replies, the consideration and drafting of settlement agreements, Judgments, Request for Orders and other pleadings.

For those of you who need assistance in the strategic planning of your case but do not have the resources to hire an attorney to represent you, Attorney Shelly John is available to serve as your “Coach.”  She will review any documents you provide to her, provide an overview of the Court system and assist you in developing a road-map for your case.  Attorney Shelly John is available to Coach you for:

Court – by focussing the issues and facts that you wish to present to the Court at a hearing
Mediation – by helping you figure out the parenting plan which you believe is best for your children and helping you to create an outline of important topics to cover during mediation.  San Bernardino and Riverside are “reporting counties” which means that the mediator will prepare a short report to the Judge containing impressions and recommendations. These reports are considered by the Judge, therefore, it is extremely important that you have a plan for how you will approach the mediation session.
Settlement Conferences – by helping you to analyze your Ultimate Goals and to create the parameters of a settlement proposal with consideration of your assets,  your debts and the incomes of you and the other party.

A Collaborative Divorce is a new way for you and the other party to resolve your disputes respectfully — without going to court.  Collaborative Divorce is a proven process to best meet the financial and emotional needs of the divorcing couple and their children by “minimizing the very things that sabotage smooth negotiations – anger, mistrust, revenge, and acrimony – and replacing them with common sense, fairness and respect.”
Collaborative divorce utilizes a team approach consisting of a lawyer and a Divorce Coach for each spouse, and one licensed financial advisor.  In cases involving children, a Child Specialist will also join the team to help you and the other parent focus on the needs of your children.  Contrary to ones first instinct, Collaborative Divorce has proven to be less costly than a highly litigated court battle.
Click here to learn more about Collaborative Divorce

Mediation is an informal process where the parties work out an agreement with the help of a neutral third party.  Attorney John trained with master mediator and author Forrest “Woody” Mosten.  Attorney John is skilled in Listening to the Interests of the parties and assisting them in Negotiating an agreement that works for them and for their children.  There is no question that parties are more apt to follow the terms of orders derived by agreement rather than imposed upon them by a person who has sometimes as little as 5 minutes to consider their case.

After a few meetings with Attorney John, you have the option of having the Law Office structure your agreement (which is appropriate for those with complex issues), or you may hire Family Law Assistance Center, Inc. to draft your agreement at less than half the cost of the attorney.

In cases where you need legal advice but do not require legal expertise to draft your documents, you may hire Attorney John to guide the paralegal through the drafting process.  Rather than hiring the paralegal directly, you will retain Attorney Shelly John and she will then contract with Family Law Assistance Center, Inc. to prepare the documents.  The discounted rate for having a paralegal prepare the paperwork is passed on to you.