A La Carte Services

Typically, when a divorce or family law attorney is hired in cases filed with a court, the lawyer enters a general notice of appearance in the case and represents the client in all aspects of the case. A la carte services, or what is also referred to as unbundled services, refers to an attorney/client relationship that is formed only for a particular task or for a limited purpose.

Someone may choose to hire an attorney on a limited basis in a court filed case if they are representing themselves in negotiations and either need basic advice, or perhaps need representation at a single hearing.

Someone may also choose to hire an attorney on a limited basis solely for financial reasons. For people with limited funds to invest in legal services, it is important to know when and under what circumstances those funds should be invested in a lawyer. In our opinion, the temporary orders process is often the most important point of the case.

The temporary orders process normally occurs early in the case - within the first couple of weeks. Whereas, the trial date is normally set 10 months to a year or more from the date the case is first filed.

Temporary orders can be entered by agreement, but are often decided by the court after oral argument. In the temporary orders process, motions are prepared and filed, responses are made, oral argument is presented in open court, and orders are entered at the conclusion of a hearing. Temporary orders often set the tone and direction for the rest of the case.

The kinds of orders entered in a divorce case, for instance, include temporary mutual restraining orders, temporary child support order, temporary parenting plan, and other orders granting temporary relief pending finalization of the case, which occurs much later either by agreement or as a result of trial. These temporary orders may contain provisions on who remains in the family home and who must move out, where the children will reside the majority of the time, how much one party pays to another for child support or spousal maintenance, who is responsible for maintaining which debts, and so on.

Nearly all issues in the temporary orders phase of the case are revisited when final orders are entered. Precedence set at the temporary orders phase of the case can greatly impact the final orders.

After temporary orders are entered the case normally goes into a stage called "discovery," which refers to a time when the attorneys collect evidence needed to properly prepare the case for settlement negotiations or trial. A person may therefore wish to have an attorney assist with preparing and executing a discovery plan.

Once discovery is concluded, the parties typically attempt to settle their case at a settlement conference using a mediator. If they cannot settle, they proceed to trial. A person may not need or want an attorney until settlement conference or trial. However, assistance during these phases can be a smart investment in legal services given the potentially far reaching effects of final divorce decrees and other orders - particularly those concerning financial obligations and parenting.

There are numerous ways someone can use unbundled services. If you believe you need representation for a particular task in your case, or if you need an attorney for a limited purpose, we invite you to contact our office to set an appointment with one of our family law attorneys.

McKinley Irvin proudly serves Washington State with offices in Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Puyallup and Gig Harbor.