Dixon Law Firm - Policies

Dedicated To Finding

THE RIGHT SOLUTION

FOR YOU

Family legal situations can be extra stressful. The Dixon Law Firm, PLLC is committed to providing you with customized strategies for your divorce, paternity, child support or other family law matters.

Dedicated To Helping Clients And Their Families In Boynton Beach And Across South Florida.

An Attorney Dedicated

To THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN Alicia Dixon, Esq., the managing principal attorney at The Dixon Law Firm, PLLC, has a background that has shaped her legal career around advocacy for children and families facing difficult challenges - whether they are related to divorce and the establishment of child custody orders, post-divorce modification and enforcement of orders, or matters related to fathers’ rights and paternity. As the child of Jamaican immigrants, she grew to understand how family structures are impacted by entering a new culture.

Later, attorney Dixon worked during law school in Rwanda alongside human rights attorneys and country leaders to improve the quality of life of genocide victims and their children. Attorney Dixon knows how to navigate the justice system, how to investigate a case from start to finish and how to assist clients in negotiating settlements without expensive litigation. She works hard to preserve the rights of each and every client.

WORKING BEYOND BUSINESS HOURS FOR YOU Alicia has a drive and a commitment to clients that stretch far beyond the traditional workday. Circumstances during a family dispute can change at any time, so she is available to provide counsel and guidance on the best options for you and your children. She understands that providing clients with the right advice at the right time can prevent additional legal snarls in their case later.

The Dixon Law Firm, PLLC operates in a manner that puts the focus on the client. It models its cost structure to adapt to the technological innovation of the 21st century. Electronic research, virtual offices, e-filing and social media are leveraged to reduce your litigation cost and facilitate more rapid resolutions of legal matters.

TELEPHONE POLICY We answer our telephones during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30am5:30pm. If you are unable to reach us, the voicemail system is available. You are entitled to make reasonable requests for information concerning your case. In order to accommodate your need for information, we’ve instituted the following telephone policy: A. When you call the office, please identify yourself and your case. When an attorney or staff member is unavailable, please leave a message. If we are unable to answer, leave a detailed message including your name, phone number, and reason for your call. Please leave only one message and duplicate messages may result in a delay in returning your call.

B. Messages left on our voicemail system after hours will be returned within 48 business hours following your message. If your question requires a more detailed discussion, we may schedule a phone conference to discuss your matter in further detail.

C. Please do not contact outside of business hours as they are not requires nor instructed to respond to any correspondence until the next business day.

D. For all telephone calls and consultations, you’ll be billed the same way you’d be billed if you were discussing the case in our office with an attorney or staff member.

EMAIL POLICY While we try to respond to your email in a timely fashion, it is not always possible to immediately respond to all emails. Please do not send multiple emails regarding the same question. You may want to create a new email address or change your password so that your emails with us are private to you.

A. All emails are treated for file management, billing and responsive purposes and written communications. Your emails and responses are added to your file and will be billed in the same matter as written notes and phone calls.

B. If you email us outside of business hours, we will not receive it until the next business day. Please note that we try to respond to all emails in a timely matter.

C. Please do not copy any third party on any emails without consulting with an attorney.

D. Please do not send spam or mass emails as they may result in our system blocking all further emails from your email address.

TEXT MESSAGES Because text messaging is not a secure or reliable form of communication, we do not communicate with clients via text message regarding secure matters. Text messages may not be responded to due to security concerns. All text messages sent and received will be billed to you as regular correspondence

YOUR FEE AGREEMENT Review your signed fee agreement. You are welcomed to contact our office at any time to check the balance on your retainer.

It is very likely that the work involved in your case will exceed the hours included in your retainer. When your retainer is exhausted, you will be billed at a rate of $350.00 per hour for attorneys and $175.00 per hour for staff.

All billing invoices will be sent to the email address initially provided.

All payments must be timely made to avoid late charges and all payment arrangements must be approved in writing.

We prefer payments online however, payments by check or cash will be accepted with prior approval from Attorney Dixon. Please contact our office to arrange a time to deliver the payment.

CONTROL YOUR COSTS. Provide organized and complete copies of all documents in a timely fashion. If we need to continue to ask for the same information, you will be billed.

Schedule phone conferences to discuss your case. A scheduled telephone appointment avoids the frustration of “phone tag” and allows your attorney to provide you with her undivided attention. You can schedule a phone conference by contacting our office or email.

MANAGING EXPECTATIONS: Navigating family law matters can be frustrating and emotionally draining. We are here to guide you through the process. Here are some ways you can prepare yourself for what is ahead: Leave a message. Throughout the proceeding, you will get frustrated and want an immediate response to your concerns. Please review our telephone policy. When you call our office, please leave a message. If you have not received a response within 2 business days feel free to follow up with an email.

Your friends are not your lawyer. Most of the research you do online or the advice you get from friends or family will be incorrect or will not apply to your case. Your attorney is the only reliable source of information regarding the process and the status of your case. Take no action based on information you receive from family, friends, or the internet. Family law is a gray area. You may have identical circumstances to someone else but two differently judges will rule on your matter differently. If you are confused or concerned, we are happy to discuss your issue with you.

Judicial proceedings are slow. We are unable to control the court’s schedule, calendar, or docket. The courts schedule the cases as they are processed in line with thousands of other cases. You will not be happy with the timeline and the process almost never moves quickly. If your case is contested in any way, it can take months or even years to resolve.

We cannot control the actions of others. If you are involved in a contested case, the opposing counsel may be frustrating, accuse you of things you have not done, may want to fight about everything, or may be non-responsive. We cannot control how the attorney handles their file or practices law. Venting your frustration will not fix the problem and may be costly if repetitive. Feel free to schedule an appointment with the attorney to discuss how we can navigate this issue.

Keep the fighting to a minimum. Constant fighting with opposing party on every issue may result in excess fees and a delay in your case. While we do not expect every issue to resolve in an agreement, please consider the reasonableness of your demands and consider the advice of your attorney regarding your options.

Expect court fees and costs: To begin a case or file certain documents or pleadings within an open case, courts require parties to pay filing fees. We do not pay filing fees.

Please review your retainer agreement regarding the fees not covered in your retainer.

Expect court fees and costs: To begin a case or file certain documents or pleadings within an open case, courts require parties to pay filing fees. We do not pay filing fees.

Please review your retainer agreement regarding the fees not covered in your retainer.