FAQ

 

How do I make an appointment? 

Please call (701) 484-2224 or email contact@suttonlawmediation.com

Phone calls and emails are generally returned within 48 hours, not including weekends. 

What are your hours?

The office is open to clients and potential clients by appointment only. Please, no walk-ins. 

Staff answers the telephone and returns calls as follows:

Mondays 9 am to 1 pm

Tuesdays 9 am to 1 pm

Thursdays 9 am to 1 pm

If you are not able to call or receive a return call during those times, please email contact@suttonlawmediation.com instead. 

Appointments are available between 9 am and 5 pm, Monday through Thursday, and between 9 am and 3 pm on Fridays. Appointments at other times are available on a limited basis. If you need an appointment at a time outside regular business hours, please advise staff.

Where are you located?

222 South Randolph Street, Macomb, Illinois

The office is open to clients and potential clients by appointment only.  

How much should I expect to pay for legal services?

For domestic relations/family cases:

The fee for the initial consultation is $150, which is due at the time of your appointment.  

A written explanation of the billing arrangement and your rights and responsibilities as a client will be provided to you at the end of the initial consultation so that you have that information in determining whether to use the services of Sutton Law & Mediation, P.C. 

If you hire Sutton Law & Mediation for a domestic relations/family case, the ultimate cost of legal services depends on the amount of time the attorney and support staff spend on your matter.  At your initial consultation, your specific circumstances will be discussed to arrive at an estimate. 

That estimate is what you will need to pay as a retainer before legal services begin. A retainer is a lump sum paid in advance for the legal services that will be provided. The retainer is deposited into the firm trust account. Bills are sent periodically and, after an opportunity for client review of the charges, the amount earned to date is drawn from the retainer in the trust account as the firm's earned fees. If the retainer is exhausted before the work is complete, you may be asked to replenish the retainer. If any amount of the retainer is left at the end of the legal work, it is refunded to you. 

For estate planning, probate, business, and other matters:

The ultimate cost of legal services depends on the amount of time the attorney and support staff spend on your matter. Attorney time is billed at $225 per hour in six-minute increments, rounded up to the next .1 of an hour (e.g., 15 minutes of attorney time is billed at $67.50) You will receive a bill when your legal services are complete unless other arrangements are made in advance. 

Because each case is unique, it is difficult to estimate in advance the total bill for these types of matters.  Estate planning tends to cost between $500 and $2,500. A married couple with some assets (a house, some investment accounts) and no special circumstances should plan to pay between $750-$1,000. More complicated circumstances, such as those involving a farming operation, a special needs trusts, or a detailed gifting scheme, usually cost between $1,000-$2,500.


Similarly, the cost for probate varies widely. For a very simple probate case, costs tend to total $1,500, which includes expenses such as filing fees, publication fees, and charges for letters of office. Costs for moderately complex probate cases generally cost between $2,000-$5,000. Highly contented probate cases may cost in excess of $10,000. 

Sutton Law & Mediation, P.C. can provide a better estimate of your costs after learning more details about your situation at an initial appointment. 

How much should I expect to pay for mediation services?

Court-Referred Mediation

For court-referred mediation, a retainer of $750 total is due at least three business days before mediation. Each party must pay the portion of the retainer reflected on the Mediation Order signed by the judge.  

Court-referred mediations are scheduled to last a minimum three hours. If mediation continues beyond three hours, the parties will be billed for the additional time at the rate of $225 per hour. Time is billed in six-minute increments, rounded up to the next .1 of an hour (e.g., 15 minutes is billed at $67.50) You will receive a bill for your portion of any balance due for additional mediation time following your mediation session.  

Self-Referred Mediation

For self-referred mediation, the amount of the retainer is based on the type of case and scope of the issues to be resolved. Please call (701) 484-2224 for more information. 

Do you offer payment plans?

No. Unfortunately I cannot offer payment plans for legal or mediation services. Depending on the type of work performed, you will need to pay the entire retainer before services begin or the entire bill when it is due.

However, if you are an existing client and a situation has arisen since you received your bill that make it difficult for you to pay the bill in its entirety, please contact Emily directly to discuss your circumstances.