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Elizabeth DuBois Russo |
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Divorce and Family Law |
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Law Offices of Elizabeth DuBois Russo |
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280 Hopmeadow Street |
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PO Box 332
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Weatogue (Simsbury), CT 06089 |
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(860) 651-6440 |
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E-mail: elizabethrusso@home.com |
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Frequently Asked Questions |
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| What type of law do you practice? |
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Since coming to Connecticut in 1986, my practice has been limited to the area of divorce and family law. About 95% of my practice is devoted to divorce; the remainder in drafting wills and other probate and estate matters. |
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What is your background? |
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I graduated from the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, Missouri (consistently listed as among the top 10-20 law schools in the country.) While in law school I was able, under Missouri law, to practice law for Legal Aid for two years. I have thus been practicing family law since 1983. Before law school, I was an office auditor for the Internal Revenue Service. I have been admitted to practice in Missouri and Connecticut. |
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"That depends." Factors include: the length of your marriage, whether you have children or assets, whether your spouse has an attorney and who that attorney is, how much work you are willing/able to do on your own, and more. Attorneys nearly always will request a retainer upfront. Typically, retainers in the Hartford area are $1500 and up. Expect to add at least $1000 for any of the following factors: allegations of fault; issues over custody; assets with valuations at issue; one party is self-employed; allegations of abuse. Retainers typically can be $5000 and up where custody is an issue. |
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| How much does a divorce cost? |
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But I don't have $1500. What are my options? |
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- Pay by credit card (we accept M/C and VISA);
- Borrow from family or friends;
- Represent yourself, paying for legal advice as needed on an hourly basis.
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How do I get started? |
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In our office, the first step is an initial consultation. It takes from one to two hours. We gather information from you, evaluate the issues you'll be facing, inform you of your rights, answer your questions. Usually, this consultation also includes legal advice. For this reason, we ask a flat fee of $75 for this first conference. We know that some offices offer free consultations. Some do this just to get you in the door. But our clients are valuable to us, and the time spent on initial consultations is time not spent on our current clients. We do not try to be all things to all people, just the best for our clients. |
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| But I just have simple questions that don't involve legal advice. Like, how long does a divorce take? |
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Feel free to call us at (860) 651-6440 or e-mail me at elizabethrusso@home.com. I am happy to answer short questions not involving legal advice. But just as a doctor would not diagnose your problems over the phone never having met you, neither will we give legal advice over the phone or via e-mail without an initial consultation. |
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Also, check back here from time to time, as more FAQs will be posted. |
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Links: (click on one to go there)
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Lawyers for the Ethical, Spiritual, and Moral Practice of Law |
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Connecticut Family Law Referral Service |
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Visitors since April 20, 1999 |
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