Rhode Island Divorce Tips by Attorney Chris Pearsall

A Lawyer who Hates Lawyers? What is this RI Divorce Lawyer Really Saying?

Today, I am a Rhode Island lawyer focusing my practice on divorce and divorce coaching.  Looking back decades ago I remember another lawyer who had been practicing in another state for some 40+ years who said something that perplexed me.

* * * Remembering the Lawyer who Hated Lawyers! * * *

The lawyer was about as true, honorable, and generous a gentleman as I have ever met.  He had all the qualities I envisioned a good lawyer would have.  He truly cared about each of his clients.  He fought for each one within the bounds of the law, within his professional code of ethics, and with a high degree of morality. The lawyer knew that I greatly admired him as both a person and as a lawyer.

One extremely hot summer afternoon this lawyer returned to his office after losing a district court hearing.  He plopped himself down in the chair at the opposite end of the short conference room table I was sitting at in his office law library.  His secretary nervously brought him a lemonade and napkin then quickly skirted out of the room.  There was an endless silence.  

Finally, I spoke, 

Chris:  "I'm considering becoming a lawyer."

The lawyer lifted his head, wiped his brow with a napkin, grabbed a nearby law book and flung it across his law library breaking the law book's spine.

It was one of the first times I had ever seen this man so upset.

I was quiet until the lawyer spoke.

Lawyer:  I HATE LAWYERS!

This time the pause was endless yet I was just too puzzled not to speak.

Chris:  "I don't understand!?!  You ARE a lawyer."

The lawyer was quiet again, so I asked it as a question.

Chris:  "How can you hate lawyers when you ARE one? 

The lawyer waited quite awhile before speaking.

Lawyer:  Chris, if you're anything like me, you'll understand when you get there. 

The conversation ended.

* * * 20 Years Later We Agree * * *

I've been working in the legal field now for more than 20 years since that conversation.  

As a Rhode Island lawyer, I am bound by a Professional Code of Ethical Conduct among other things.  There are things that I shouldn't say or do and there are things that I can't say or do despite the right to Free Speech guaranteed to all of us by the United States Constitution.  The layperson would be amazed. 

* * * A Message for Roger * * *

For a point of reference only, the lawyer's name was Roger.

Hopefully he's still alive and hopefully he is in tune enough with today's "internet" that he reads this article.

First, to this great lawyer.

Roger, I was like you.  I understand!

* * * A Message for Readers * * *

Now, to my readers I offer this.

You may not understand this statement until you meet with me.

If you like lawyers, you probably won't like me.

With that said, I can tell you that as a Rhode Island Lawyer who has focused my practice exclusively in the area of divorce and family law, I cannot make your problems go away.  No lawyer can!  Yet some lawyers may tell you they can to get you as a client.

Lawyers can't make your problems go away because fundamentally they are your problems.  Only you can take responsibility for those challenges in your life.  Only you truly have the power to resolve those challenges by your decisions.

However, I can tell you that I can help you understand and get through your Rhode Island divorce or family law challenges by working with you either as your Coach or as your Representative.

* * *  Your Divorce Coaching Program * * *

Roger's words were invaluable.  Today, they are the powerful force motivating the continued growth of your Family Law Coaching program.  

I call it Your Program because it is designed specifically for you.  It is designed to teach you, train you, advise you, inform you, and save you time and money in the areas of divorce and family law.

As Your Coaching Program continues to evolve, it will continue to work faster for you, become more economical for you, and become more helpful for you.

Whatever you choose to believe, there is one thing you can know with certainty. I am one lawyer trying to make a difference for YOU with a new and innovative way of practice designed by hard work, my belief that you can do more than you believe you can at this moment, and your willingness to be open to something new that works. 

What can Your Coaching Program help you with?  Here is a brief list . . .

Rhode Island Divorces & Legal Separations, Rhode Island Child Support Establishment, Modifications, Collections and Terminations, Rhode Island Child Custody Matters and Child Custody Modifications, Rhode Island Petitions to Enforced Marital Settlement Agreements and Property Settlement Agreements, Preparing Pre-Nuptual Agreements and Ante-Nuptual Agreements in Rhode Island, RI Petitions to Move Out of State with Minor Children, Petitions to Establish Paternity in Rhode Island, Rhode Island Motions to Adjudge In Contempt and Defense of those Contempt Motions, Protection from Abuse Petitions and Defense Against Such Petitions, Rhode Island Motions and Petitions to Establish, Modify or Terminate Visitation, RI Common Law Divorces and their Defense, Rhode Island Legal Rights, Rhode Island Family Court Procedures, 2nd Opinions about your Attorney on Rhode Island Divorce Cases, Pro Se Representation (i.e. Representing Yourself Appropriately in Family Court), and many more . . . 

Look for the Testimonials Section about Your Coaching Program which is coming soon.  Feel Free to Call Me for a low-cost Coaching Session!

Attorney Christopher A. Pearsall - Phone: (401) 632-6976

Rhode Island Divorce Clients will be happier if they are Realistic and Practical about their Divorce!

Are you a prospective Rhode Island Divorce client?  This may be of interest to you if you are even contemplating filing for divorce in Rhode Island but you don't know what to expect or whether your spouse will fly off the handle.

Here's a recipe for spouses in a divorce you might want to consider.  I've kept this to the most basic of fundamental ingredients that I've seen make a Rhode Island Divorce Settlement work.  So if you have questions or comments, by all means, post them and get them answered so this recipe can be explained further if it needs to be.

* * * RHODE ISLAND DIVORCE SETTLEMENT * * * 

* * * MY INTELLECTUAL RECIPE FOR SETTLEMENT * * *

1.  It Takes Two!

You and your spouse must both follow this recipe in order for it to work.  The sooner you do, the sooner you are likely to reach a settlement to your divorce case.

2.  Discard your emotions.  

Got that!  There is no emotion in the Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer's recipe for settlement.  You may find this to be the most challenging part of this recipe because you may feel tons of emotion over the news that your spouse wants a divorce or even if you've both decided mutually that a divorce is the best thing for each of you.  However, if you allow emotion to become part of the recipe for your divorce, you actually prevent settlement.  Remember it this way.  Emotion prevents Motion!
 

3.  Discard your thoughts of "entitlement."  

This isn't easy either, whether you are getting divorced or not.  Life itself isn't really about entitlement. Entitlement is something that we as people create in our minds and it changes as our thoughts change.  So, do yourself a favor and simply take personal responsibility for your own life.  If you were adult enough to get married, you could make any other decision that you needed to in order to survive, protect yourself, take care of yourself, and control your own life.  

The best example of what happens to resolving Sylvester Stallone in one of the Rocky movies from the 1980's said it best when his brother-in-law (Paulie) said to him "I'm entitled."   Rocky responded by saying something akin to "Nobody's entitled!  We do because we want to do."  I've tried to include that little clip here because it is a very good analogy as to the fights that occur when emotions and entitlement happen in a relationship.  Unfortunately, in a divorce things don't end as quickly.  If you notice, Rocky and Paulie continued their relationship and Paulie still had the idea that he was entitled to all that Rocky had built up.  Paulie never took personal responsibility for his own decisions and life choices that led him to where he was in his life.    (My Apologies - Excerpt being reformatted..)

4.  Fill your divorce settlement mixing bowl with a huge bag of heavy duty reality.

The heavy duty reality of any divorce is that when you and your spouse settle your case amicably, you do so on your terms for your lives.  

You are in control!  

Realistically, if you both hire lawyers or end up reaching Case Management Conferences in the Rhode Island Family Court, then one of you either is not following the recipe or you have a lawyer who is making waves (possibly where he or she should not be),  costing you money, prolonging your divorce, and preventing you from moving forward in your life.  While technically you still have control it is all too easy for your attorney to assume control without you knowing it or realizing it because he or she will do what they believe to be right in your best interests legally.

5.  Fill your RI divorce settlement mixing bowl with a heaping portion of heavy duty practicality. 

This is one of the most important ingredients because without this you just won't see the big picture.  Be practical in this instance more than you have ever been in your life.  What will it cost you if you don't follow this recipe?

If you hire a lawyer to go to court for you, then you should plan on paying for that lawyer yourself because in most cases that's what happens regardless of where you get the funds from. So, practically speaking you can kiss several thousand dollars goodbye and that's just to start.

Practically speaking, when you hire a lawyer you lose some measure of control of your case, your settlement, and your life.  So practically speaking you can say goodbye to some or all of the control you have over this tremendously important part of your life.

If you don't want to follow this divorce settlement recipe, that's your decision. However, it's almost inevitable that you are going to lose or waste a chunk of time in your life consumed by your divorce which prevents you from being happy and moving on in a healthy manner.  So go ahead and say goodbye to a good chunk of time in your life because you've wasted it on a divorce, emotional chaos, stress, depression, anxiety, and perhaps even creating permanent damage to your health.

These are just a few things that the lack of practicality will cause you to miss.  So if you don't want to follow the recipe, you and your spouse can (and probably will) lose money, time, happiness, control and worst of all your mental, physical and emotional health.  

Yet look at all the wonderful things you will gain such as debt, anxiety, lost time from work, school or your children, poor health, unhappiness, resentment, attorney's fees and litigation costs, possible alienation from your children and much more.

6.  Then mix in the best interests of the children followed by the assets, the debts, and lastly the living needs of each party while sprinkling in a generous amounts of common sense and reasonableness.

7.  Once it is thoroughly mixed, divide the mixture and round them out in sizes created by agreement and cooked until they are golden brown.  Hand the tray to the judge for review and approval.

If this sounds like an absurd way to look at a divorce settlement to you, then I certainly respect your opinion.  If you would rather that I called it a "formula" and used chemistry or something more in tune with either the legal profession or something more or a scholarly nature, then you may certainly substitute your own analogy for the "recipe" that I have offered here.  

Ultimately, as a Rhode Island lawyer focusing my practice in Rhode Island divorce and family law I've seen this recipe work time and time again.  In fact, I've learned more about this "recipe" or "formula" from the people who have come to me for my low-cost divorce coaching than from any experience I've ever had in the practice of law.

Do you want some very good divorce coaching?  

Here it is.  You may want to show this article to your spouse and see if the two of you can follow this recipe and reach an agreement, calmly, quietly and respectfully.  If you need some help, talk it out and decide which one of you wants to call me for a little coaching on the subject. 

Authored By:

Christopher A. Pearsall, Attorney-at-Law

Rhode Island's Full-Time Divorce* Lawyer is Now
Rhode Island's Only Divorce and Family Law Coach!!

Discover the Tremendous Benefits You Receive by 

Participating in Family Law Coaching Sessions!

Visit the RhodeIslandDivorceCoach.com

Call (401) 632-6976 Now
to
Schedule Your Low-Cost Rhode Island Divorce* or Family Law* Coaching Session!

Experience the Difference!

Copyright 2007 to Present.  Christopher A. Pearsall, Esquire
 Offering Rhode Island Rhode Island Divorce and Family Law Coaching for a New Millenium!

* The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all attorneys in the general practice of law.  The court does not license or certify any lawyer as an expert or specialist in any particular field of practice.

- - Recommended Websites - -

Pearsall.net | AttorneyPearsall.com | Rhode Island Divorce Tips | ChristopherPearsall.com | GuaranteedWealth.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorney | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer | ChrisPearsall.com | LegalScholar.com | Pearsall-Law-Associates.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorneys | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers | Rhode Island Divorce Coach  |  RI Divorce Coach | RI Divorce Lawyer on Twitter | Rhode Island Divorce Coach on Twitter | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer on Facebook.com| Attorney Chris Pearsall at LawGuru.com | Rhode Island Family Law Lawyer - RI Consumer Tips

Rhode Island Divorce Settlements - A Rhode Island Divorce Attorney's Settlement Philosophy!

In my years of practice as a Rhode Island Divorce * Lawyer I've seen my share of lawyers and their tactics for settlement.  Their tactics give a significant insight into their views on the philosophy of settlement if they consistently take the same approach.

All in all I can understand and appreciate why the public looks at most lawyers with a sense of distrust and even disgust.  Each person who comes to see us as lawyers has a certain objective in mind and they come to us as the profession whose job it is to obtain that objective with the law and our skills in its use as our weapon.  After all, it is called an "adversarial system" for a reason and a lawyers code of ethics requires us to represent our client's interests zealously provided our representation is within the bounds of the law.

Personally, Rhode Island Family Court is a different animal, so to speak, at least in my humble opinion.  Just consider divorce itself as one aspect of Rhode Island family law.  What is a lawyer's resolution tactic for a divorce?

Let me give you a few settlement views that I've heard stated by a few Rhode Island divorce and family law lawyers over the years.

Divorce Attorney A:  I fight for whatever the client wants for as long as it takes or until they are out of money and then I withdraw from the case.

Divorce Attorney B:  You have to budget.  If I know I need to bring in 50 clients for the year and make five thousand off each client to make what I need to make for the year then I see how I'm doing for the year and if I'm making more money than expected I may try to settle the case early if the client might be a good referral source.  Otherwise I will keep going until I get to three quarters of the budgeted amount and then settle their case.

Divorce Attorney C:  If I take a client who has very little money then I'll try to settle the case right away.  I mean we all want to get paid, right?

Divorce Attorney D:  Settling the case isn't really up to me.  It's up to the divorce client.  If the client isn't getting everything he or she wants then I keep fighting until they get it or they tell me to give in on the point.  As long as the client is paying me then I'll keep fighting.

Divorce Attorney E:  If a divorce client is willing to settle right away but I see something that he or she is legally entitled to in a divorce then I'll push that point if I feel it's something they should get.  Sometimes you have to churn things up to make a divorce client worth taking.  When I've made a reasonable amount on the case then I let things cool off and the client will usually lead me right to the settlement table because it's too emotionally draining.

Now, I want everyone reading this to realize that these are only five perspectives out of thousands of divorce lawyers in Rhode Island.  This does not mean they are representative of all Rhode Island divorce lawyers because five (5) simply does not equate to thousands.  There are good divorce lawyers out there.  The hard part can be finding the ones with the type of settlement strategy you are looking for.

I would imagine that some people would find these strategies appauling and typical of every lawyer.  That simply isn't so and I urge everyone not to take that idea from this article.  My point in writing this article is to point out something rather simple.  In all my years of practice, I don't recall an divorce attorney stating in my presence a settlement philosophy that makes sense not only for all couples but for the court as well.

So let me state, for the record, my settlement philosophy and explain it briefly.  If you like it, GREAT!  If you don't like it... then I'm probably not the divorce lawyer for you.  I'm even happy to put my name to it as a quote because I believe that if a client truly knows where the lawyer's head is at then he or she can avoid wasting time if I'm not the type of lawyer he or she is looking to hire.

Attorney Pearsall:  Make sure the client knows his or her rights and alternatives and then settle the case within the client's desires.  If the opposing party is being unreasonable and the client wants you to fight for his or her rights, then if you can't reach a creative compromise, hunker down and do what needs to be done to fight for the client.

If I were to spell things out my philosophy of divorce settlement, I try to settle every case right from the outset to prevent damage to any minor children, to the client, to any future relationship the parties might want to preserve and to resolve the matter so that the possible mental, emotional and financial damage caused by the divorce is minimized.  This helps the parties and the court. 

When I meet with prospective clients I keep it a bit simpler when I explain my philosophy. It goes something like this: 

I try to settle every case as early as possible.  Reaching settlement saves you money, time, stress and aggravation.  If settlement isn't possible, then I do what needs to be done within the bounds of the law, ethics and a genuine sense of morality.

If you like lawyers, you probably won't like me.  There are very few lawyers that I know, like and trust.  Personally, I find it hard to see how other lawyers do not have the same philosophy I have that settlement should be Priority #1.  The only real benefit to not settling a divorce case quickly goes to the divorce lawyer through payment of additional fees.

Divorce is already hard enough for people, even when its amicable.  People have to plan on a new and changed lifestyle and usually additional costs and responsibilities.  Especially when there are children involved, it should be most important, in my humble opinion, to resolve the divorce and preserve the parties and as much of the remaining family unit as possible.

Divorce is a legal step to moving the parties along to a new and different lifestyle.  It's hard enough as it is for the spouses and children.  I would hope other divorce lawyers in Rhode Island would think as I do and help the remaining family unit or relationship to survive and have the best chance at thriving.

Authored By:

Christopher A. Pearsall, Attorney-at-Law

Rhode Island's Full-Time Divorce* Lawyer is Now
Rhode Island's Only Divorce and Family Law Coach!!

Discover the Tremendous Benefits You Receive by 

Participating in Family Law Coaching Sessions!

Visit the RhodeIslandDivorceCoach.com

Call (401) 632-6976 Now
to
Schedule Your Low-Cost Rhode Island Divorce* or Family Law* Coaching Session!

Experience the Difference!

Copyright 2007 to Present.  Christopher A. Pearsall, Esquire
 Offering Rhode Island Rhode Island Divorce and Family Law Coaching for a New Millenium!

* The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all attorneys in the general practice of law.  The court does not license or certify any lawyer as an expert or specialist in any particular field of practice.

- - Recommended Websites - -

Pearsall.net | AttorneyPearsall.com | Rhode Island Divorce Tips | ChristopherPearsall.com | GuaranteedWealth.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorney | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer | ChrisPearsall.com | LegalScholar.com | Pearsall-Law-Associates.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorneys | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers | Rhode Island Divorce Coach  |  RI Divorce Coach | RI Divorce Lawyer on Twitter | Rhode Island Divorce Coach on Twitter | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer on Facebook.com | Rhode Island Home Buying Tips | Attorney Chris Pearsall at LawGuru.com | Rhode Island Family Law Lawyer - RI Consumer Tips

Rhode Island Divorce and Family Law Coaching is Catching On!

Do you need an experienced Rhode Island Divorce and Family Law Lawyer?

Or,

Do you just need the help of an experienced Rhode Island Divorce and Family Law Lawyer?

Until about one year ago, the second option didn't exist as a legal service here in Rhode Island to my knowledge.

In March of 2009, I started the Rhode Island Divorce and Family Law Coaching Practice.  

Are you a person you just wants to some legal help with your Rhode Island divorce or family law matter? 

Are having a hard time finding a Rhode Island lawyer to help you with the forms and understanding the family law process specifically as it relates to your family law matter? 

It's not surprising!  This is and has been typical for decades.

* * * 3 Reasons Other Attorneys Don't Offer Divorce and Family Law Coaching! * * *

 Why?  Three reasons!  It's impractical, it creates liability, and it's not profitable.

 First, it's impracticable.   This coaching approach involves piecemeal work for clients for as much or as little coaching as they want. A coaching approach requires a constant shift in the attorney's focus. This requires additional time, additional file creation,  and additional expense for upkeep and storage.  This means that without extensive planning the coaching approach requires greater focus and greater expense to the attorney.

 Second, it creates greater legal exposure and greater liability resulting from more clients who may misunderstand or misapply legal items discussed by the lawyer with the client, more issues, and perhaps less information to work with when providing the legal coaching if the attorney is not specifically prepared for addressing the continuous shift in clients and their legal coaching needs which might well triple the client load as compared to the typical lawyer's client load.

 Third, Rhode Island Divorce and Family Law Coaching is designed to save the client money over typical representation.  Coaching is meant to be an expense saving service to the client.  The client uses the attorney's services on an "as needed" or "as desired" basis.  The client uses the attorney's coaching services as much or as little as the client desires.  As a result of these things, there is no specific cash flow resulting from any specific client because it is at the discretion of the client.  

 In the end, the Rhode Island Family Law Coaches income results from the number of appointments scheduled to give actual direct coaching and legal advice to the client rather than a single client that the attorney can bill a certain number of hours of work too.  Since it does not provide a constant income stream for the attorney, it is not profitable without building a strong coaching practice at rates well below the hourly  rates charged by experienced Rhode Island family law attorneys for representation of the client from beginning to end.

 Why should you care?

Let me give you an example.

Imagine that you are a spouse and you come into my office seeking representation in court because it is the traditional method of hiring an attorney.  You tell me you own a home, have two children and a have three retirement accounts, and that you and your wife are very amicable about things.  

Even if I may be sympathetic and understanding to your situation and want to give you the best price possible, I must consider everything.  My analysis would be roughly as follows without extra issues and circumstances.

 The average uncontested divorce requires about 13 hours of an attorney's time.  An Rhode Island Divorce attorney with ten (10) years of divorce experience receives about an average of $200 per hour for his or her services.  Total costs for the attorney's services to prepare all the documents, discuss the issues with the client, attend court hearings, and draft and file the temporary and final order would result in an Attorney's fee of $2,600 plus costs with the $2,600 as an upfront retainer.

The client is likely to breathe a heavy sigh even though this is a very reasonable quote for an experienced family law attorney to protect your interests in a court proceeding in an uncontested divorce matter with the issues mentioned properly presented to the court.

Now you are the client, would you be overwhelmed to shell out $2,600 upfront to an attorney?

 Shouldn't there be an alternative to this!  Is there an alternative?  

 Now there is!  Meet Rhode Island Divorce and Family Law Coaching offered by Attorney Christopher Pearsall at The Rhode Island Divorce & Coaching Institute!

 My practice method is so streamlined and its principles are elevated to a level that eliminates the three (3) major issues that prevent today's Rhode Island Attorneys from diverging from the traditional model.

 Now let us look at the same model.  I'm a Rhode Island Divorce attorney with ten (10) years of experience focused exclusively in the area of Rhode Island divorce and family law.  

 This time we forget the $200 per hour or more for my services.  Why?  Because you opt to enter my Rhode Island Divorce & Family Law Coaching program.  Now things change considerably.  Initially, you sit with me for an hour as I evaluate your case, explain your legal rights, review the necessary documents that are required or address your questions; essentially you and I will discuss and address anything and everything relating to your case that are most important to your issues and your case because this is your life and that is what is important!  

 What is the cost of that initial one hour coaching session?  

 Despite the $200+ market value per hour of the services, the cost is only $135 for that hour.

 Best of all, it's not your typical "Free Consultation" from the newspapers or Yellow Page ads.  If you don't know what the typical "Free Consultation' is, let me explain it to you.

 The "Free Consultation" used by so many Rhode Island Divorce and Family Law Lawyers in print advertising uses the word "FREE" merely as the hook to suck you in the door.  

 It is a hook to make you think you are getting something of value with a professional lawyer for... FREE.  Enticing isn't it?  No, not if you understand that you're not getting anything at all for FREE!  In fact, you're losing time in your life that you will never get back only to hear the other shoe drop as the attorney tells you how much you should write the check out for in order to gain his or her services.

 What does this "Free Consultation" actually give you?  It is usually something like this. The attorney will listen to what you have to say for a few minutes, perhaps even a half hour if you are lucky enough to get that far.  Then the lawyer will tell you that there are numerous issues that need to be addressed in your case.  He or she will probably mention to you some legalese that you may not be familiar with and let you know that your case is more serious than you think and that's why you need a lawyer because it is too easy to be taken advantage of or to forget something that could cause a serious issue in the future and the sooner you hire a good lawyer to help you the better off you will be.  The lawyer will interject things during the discussion that are intended to convince you that he or she is the right lawyer for you.  Lastly the lawyer will typically tell you the cost to get started and he or she can immediately get to work to protect your interests.  You are given a clear sense of urgency here as it is clear you should be getting out your checkbook to cut the attorney a check.

Does anything sound fishy to you here?   If not, it should.  You should always take time to think about it and never be pressured into any decision.  Does the lawyer seem to want to lock you in quickly before another attorney gets you as a client?

That's a warning sign.

 Ultimately, if you think about your whole "Free Consultation", go over in your head or in your notes (if you took them) what the Rhode Island Family lawyer told you that tells you really what your rights are.  Can you use anything that the lawyer told you to get anything done even if you don't return to that lawyer?  If not, what did you get for your "Free Consultation" . . . you got a sales pitch and you spent time in your life that you will never get back.

My personal views are no secret.  I am not in favor of the "Free Consultation."  I would rather give a Coaching/Advice Session with advice for the client that is specific to your situation, be paid less than the value of my services to help a person in need and make sure the person knows I have no other expectations other than to spend an hour with them and be paid $135 for the hour of my time. 

If the client wants to go further, the client can ask.  No need to wait for any other shoe to drop at all.  If you don't ask, then I know you're not interested and I have had the pleasure of serving you and you can call upon me for coaching services whenever you like and we'll set up another appointment at an hour for $135.  

 As a client, you can use me for coaching and legal advice as much or as little as you want as long as you understand and agree that I have a 1 hour minimum appointment time and it costs $135 for my time and $33.75 for each portion of a quarter hour that we go over that time with your authority.  Each time, it is not "FREE" but you leave with highly valuable information that you can rely upon.

 In the scenario we used before, if you were the client, you could come to me for an initial coaching session to learn the divorce process and your rights.  You could then come for a 2nd coaching session to address the initial paperwork for filing and how service of process works.  If you desire you could have a third session to help with a Marital Settlement Agreement with your spouse if you wanted that assistance. Your fourth session could be coaching to prepare for your Nominal Hearing.  Lastly the 5th Session would address the drafting of your temporary order (Decision Pending the Final Judgment of Divorce) and your Final Judgment of Divorce and how each of these documents are properly entered with the Family Court.  In total, that is not $2,600 in one lump sum.  It is merely 5 sessions in increments over a 5 1/2 month period of $135 each.  This would be a totaled as $135 x 5 = $675.00.  

 Using this new Coaching Program you saved a whopping $1,925!

 The fact is... this service is saving people thousands of dollars.  I have estimated that in its very first year of operation I have saved my coaching clients in excess of $134,000 in legal fees and helped to process more amicable divorces using this method than in all the other past 10 years combined.  That is no small feat!  In fact, it is a tremendous track record that speaks for itself!

So what is the major change and what is in it for me?

 That is simplicity itself!  Rather than serve fewer clients and make more money from you  as a client, I choose to serve many more clients and make much less money.

This practice method works for me as a Rhode Island Lawyer focusing my practice on divorce and family law.  I don't expect it to work for all attorneys because there is a large trade-off.  

 What is that trade off?  Income.

 I don't need a BMW.  I don't need a summer home.  I don't need three vacations per year in Greece.  I don't need nor do I want to rape the public and buy a mansion.  It comes down simply to what I want.

 I'm here to serve you with what I know.  I can't do it for free because we all have to live.  I want a reasonable wage for my professional skills.  I want as much time with my wife as possible.  I want time for myself and to work around my house.  I want time with family and with friends.

 If you are an attorney and you want to be wealthy....a coaching practice won't work for you.  If you want to help people and you just want to make a living, then I invite other Rhode Island attorneys to contact me and I'll  be happy to train you to set up a coaching practice.  Perhaps together we can restore the people's faith in attorneys, courts and our legal system as a whole.

 In my next article, I'll let my coaching clients express to you for themselves what they have thought of the program and you can decide for yourselves whether it might be something for you.

 If you have questions about the program or want to set up your affordable initial divorce or family law coaching session, I invite you to call me at (401) 632-6976.

 Authored by:  

Attorney Christopher A. Pearsall, Rhode Island Divorce* and Family Law* Attorney and Coach

Copyright 2010 to Present - The Rhode Island Divorce & Coaching Institute (All Rights Reserved.)

Rhode Island Marital Settlement Agreements - Two Major Ways RI Marital Settlement Agreements Can Help You?

Jeremiah and Pamela Rhodes have been married for 23 years.  They own a home in East Providence, Rhode Island and have decided to divorce amicably.  They agree that Jeremiah will file the Petition for Divorce as the Plaintiff in the Providence County Family Court as opposed to the Washington County Family Court which covers Westerly, Rhode Island where Pamela Rhodes is now residing.

Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes expect the divorce to go relatively easily because they have no minor children and they have agreed to the manner in which they will divide all the assets and debts they have accumulated during the course of their marriage.

The terms of the settlement seem very simple to Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes but to be on the safe side they agree that they will each hire experienced Rhode Island divorce attorneys to protect their respective interests because they personally know very little about divorce law.

The Rhodes and their attorneys meet at the office of Mrs. Rhodes' divorce attorney, Jessica Cranston.  Mr. Rhodes and his attorney, Tim Kent arrive on time and they sit together to work out the formalities of the settlement.

By the end of the meeting they resolve their Rhode Island divorce holdings and the parties each have a bulleted list of how they have agreed to divide their marital assets and debts.

Within the next two weeks, the Rhode Island divorce attorneys for both parties draft a detailed Marital Settlement Agreement to be offered to the family court judge as a full joint exhibit at the time of the parties' divorce hearing.  The Marital Settlement Agreement outlines all the foreseeable aspects of the division of marital assets and debts between the parties, including the benefits and consequences for each party in the event of a default in any of the terms by the other party.

** The Jeremiah and Pamela Rhodes Marital Settlement **

 On the date scheduled for their uncontested Rhode Island divorce hearing, the Marital Settlement Agreement is offered to and approved by the Rhode Island family court and the Rhodes' divorce hearing goes through without any difficulty.

Jeremiah and Pamela are both pleased with the results. After the hearing they decide to meet for lunch.  During their lunch conversation they each mention what made them each feel better about the divorce process.

The conversation goes something like this:

Pamela:  Thanks for being so good about our agreement Jerry.  I know I was a bit picky in some spots and my attorney was a bit picky in others.

Jeremiah:  Well, that's why we got the lawyers right?  We each wanted to make sure our interests were protected legally and its no secret that neither of us know about this legal stuff. 

Pamela:  Well, thanks anyway.  My attorney said that this Marital Settlement Agreement was the key to a good hearing.  Frankly if that would make the hearing easier then I'm all for it.  I was a nervous wreck about this whole idea of having a hearing and testifying under oath with god knows who in the courtroom.

Jeremiah:  It worked out pretty good though don't you think?

Pamela:  It went great.  If I knew our Marital Settlement Agreement was going to make it that easy then I wouldn't have been nervous at all.  I could have saved a mint on all the coffee I drank. I was a nervous wreck over this damn hearing.

Jeremiah:  Would you rather have testified first? [ Jerry gently laughs and shakes his head ]

Pamela:  No way!  Just the few questions I was asked seemed to last forever and they were just a minute or two.  You had the tough stuff.

Jeremiah:  Tough stuff?  I don't even think we had any tough stuff because of that agreement.  Did you see that couple that the judge took before us?  Geez, they didn't have a Marital Settlement Agreement worked out at all and they had the judge fuming because they were all over the place.

Pamela:  Yeah, I think that made me even more nervous because they had lawyers too.  I was thinking that the judge was going to chew us up and spit us out for brunch after telling them to go out into the hallway and figure out what they were doing and then they could come back in.  [ Pam laughs nervously . . ]

Jeremiah:  Yeah, I know what you mean.  I'm just glad we had that Marital Settlement Agreement done.

Pamela:  What do you think made things easier for you?

Jeremiah:  Well, without trying to sound to cheap, it was having that Marital Settlement Agreement done.  My lawyer charges a lot more per hour for court time and because we had that Marital Settlement Agreement did you notice we didn't have to talk about [ counting on his fingers ] First, the sale of the house, Second the Division of the Equitable Proceeds, Third, the payment of the sale expenses, Fourth the time we had to get our stuff out, Fifth, what happens if either of us doesn't abide by the agreement, and. . .  ah hell you know all that stuff  [ Jerry is laughing, shaking his head in his hands with elbows on the table]

Pamela:  Yeah I know.  [ Chuckling . . .]  We would have been there answering questions for two weeks if we tried to explain all that to the judge.  

Jeremiah:  Instead, we just had to confirm that we both made an agreement about all our debts and assets and the lawyers asked the judge to approve it.  Like I said before, I don't want to sound cheap but that agreement shortened our hearing from . . . . I don't know . . . several hours at least . . . to a measly 10 minutes or so.  That might have saved me more than $800.

Pamela:  Oh I'm with you there.  My attorney charges more for court time too so I didn't mind at all that our court time was only 10 minutes.  That agreement was definitely the way to go.

Jeremiah:  So do we actually agree on two more things without our lawyers, Pam?

Pamela:  What do you mean?

[The waitress brings their luncheon drinks.  They each take their own drink.]

Jeremiah:  We actually agree that our Marital Settlement Agreement saved us tremendous time and aggravation in court and saved us both money.  Am I right?

Pamela: [ Tilting her head slightly and smiling. ] We are in definite agreement Mr. Rhodes!

Jeremiah:  [ Jerry raises his glass to toast. ]    To US then! 

Pamela:  [ Clinking her glass to Jerry's while pausing and smiling ] . . . But it will still cost you lunch, Jerry.

Jeremiah:  Deal!

[. . . They both break into laughter as lunch is delivered. ]

Disclaimer:  This is a hypothetical scenario. Any resemblance in the names of the parties, attorneys or circumstances contained herein to any persons known or otherwise thought to exist in reality is purely coincidental is merely in the imagination of the reader has no relationship to any persons, litigants, attorneys or circumstances in actual existence.

Authored By:

Christopher A. Pearsall, Attorney-at-Law

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