How do I set up an initial office appointment with the attorney?
Contact our office at (916) 791-2799 in order to set up a consultation with the attorney.
- Office Hours: 9:00 - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday and Fridays are by "appointment only" (as such phones may or may not be answered depending upon the needs of the office).
- Appointment Hours - Usually 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. With 4:30 p.m. being the last appointment of the day. Some morning appointments may be available depending upon Mr. Martinez's Court schedule.
- In order to assess your needs with regarding to the area of law as well as the Court's Jurisdiction, please be prepared to answer the following questions when you call to set up your initial consultation. The answers to the following questions will aide us in deciding whether or not we will be able to take your particular case:
- Has any paperwork been filed yet on your matter?
- Do you reside in Placer or Sacramento County?
- What county and state does the opposing party reside in?
- Does your case involve one of the following: dissolution, legal separation, paternity, child custody, child support, child visitation, spousal support, marital property, or division of retirement accounts?
- If you are involved in a Dissolution or legal separation, has a Judgment of Dissolution or Legal Separation been filed yet?
- If you are involved in a Paternity matter, has a Judgment of Paternity been filed yet?
- You will be required to provide the first and last name of the opposing party in order to allow for a "conflicts check" in our master data base prior to coming in for the initial consultation.
Do I have to come in for an appointment or can I just talk to the Attorney by phone?
Attorney Martinez recognizes that your legal matters are of the highest concern and importance to you, as such, he feels it important that the meeting between the Client and himself take place "face to face", in order to minimize misunderstandings that can arise during less personal meetings.
Is there a charge for the Initial Consultation?
If you decide not to retain this Office, there will not be a charge for the initial consultation. If you do decide to retain the office then the cost of this initial consultation will be added into the overall cost of the case.
How much will you charge for my case?
This will be discussed with the attorney during the initial consultation. The attorney will need to discuss your needs and the needs of the case before he can quote a "Retainer" amount for your case.
What is a Retainer?
A Retainer is the amount of money that that the Office will ask to be paid prior to beginning work on your case. Once the Retainer agreement is signed and the retainer payment is made, this office will commence work on the case billing against the retainer fee paid.
Can I bring my kids in to my office appointments?
We ask that this not take place for the following reasons:
- We recognize that day-care can be a big challenge for our Clientele, however, given the importance of the appointment and the limited time available to both the Client and the attorney, we strongly recommend that no minor children attend appointments.
- Also due to the highly personal nature of the conversations between our Clientele and the attorney, we do not want the Parties minor children privy to what is being discussed. It is most important to note, Attorney Martinez strongly suggests that the minor children not be involved in the on going dispute between their Parents.
- Lastly, our Office staff is very busy attending to all the needs of our Clients, in a desire to minimize costs to our Clients, it is important that our concentration be maintain on our work.
How long much time should I set aside for the initial consultation?
At the initial consultation we have a two page questionnaire that must be completed. The calendar clerks sets aside a half an hour for both the processing and the meeting with the Attorney. This should be considered the minimum amount of time for the appointment. The Attorney may take more time depending upon the Client's needs and issues involved in the matter. Please keep in mind the personal attention the Attorney tries to afford to each Client, should any of the appointment times run over a bit.
Do I need to bring any paperwork to the first appointment?
No paperwork is necessary at this first appointment, however, if you have easy access to any paperwork last served on behalf of or upon yourself or the last/most current court order regarding custody, support or assets and debts, then please do bring them along with the Attorney's information.