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(945) 300-5522
Family Law of North Texas
Questions, answered

Frequently askedquestions.

The questions every client asks before the first call, answered the way we answer them on the phone. Law-specific questions live on each practice-area page.

Getting started

First questions first.

How do I get started with your firm?
Two steps. Start with the Free Case Alignment Review, a 15-minute call with one of our intake specialists to confirm conflicts, fit, and jurisdiction. If we are aligned, you can book the $275 Attorney Strategy Consultation, where an attorney evaluates your case and walks through your rights and options with you. Call (945) 300-5522 or schedule the review online.
What areas of family law do you handle?
Divorce and property division, child custody (conservatorship) and custody modification, adoption, CPS matters, protective orders, high-asset and cryptocurrency property division, and enforcement, among related family-law matters. Family law is all we do.
What counties do you practice in?
We file in twelve North Texas counties: Collin, Dallas, Denton, Tarrant, Rockwall, Kaufman, Ellis, Hunt, Grayson, Fannin, Wise, and Parker. Our office is in Plano, and the alignment review confirms that your matter sits in a county where we practice.
Do you speak languages other than English?
Yes. We practice in English, Russian, and Ukrainian.
Cost and the consultation

The money questions.

Do you offer a free consultation?
We offer a free Case Alignment Review, a 15-minute call to make sure your matter is a fit. It is a fit check, not legal advice. Actual guidance on your options comes at the $275 Attorney Strategy Consultation, which is a working session with an attorney under privilege.
What is the difference between the free Case Alignment Review and the $275 Strategy Consultation?
The free review confirms fit, conflicts, and next steps; it is conducted by our intake team and is not legal advice. The $275 Strategy Consultation is where an attorney evaluates your case and gives you specific guidance on your situation and how we would approach it. Put simply: alignment is free, advice is paid.
How much will my case cost?
Cost depends on the facts and on how the matter proceeds, so we do not quote a figure sight unseen, and every case is different. The Strategy Consultation is where we discuss your situation and what representation would realistically involve. Our retainers page explains the mechanics in plain language.
Does the free review create an attorney-client relationship or privilege?
No. The Free Case Alignment Review is a fit-and-jurisdiction screening conducted by intake staff; it is not legal advice and is not protected by attorney-client privilege. Legal advice is provided during the paid Attorney Strategy Consultation, and an attorney-client relationship is formed only upon a written engagement agreement. Until then, hold the sensitive details.
How long is the Strategy Consultation?
The Attorney Strategy Consultation is 45 minutes. The free Case Alignment Review that comes before it is a shorter call, about fifteen minutes, with our intake team.
How retainers work Cost and retainer estimator
How the process works

What actually happens.

What happens at the Strategy Consultation, and what should I bring?
Your attorney has read your file before you sit down, so the session goes to your answer, not your intake. You leave with your case evaluated, your rights explained, and a path you can act on. Bring what you have: any existing court orders, anything you have been served with, and the documents that tell your story. Missing paperwork is normal; do not wait on it to book.
How long will my case take?
Every case is different, and we will not promise a timeline. Contested matters generally take longer than agreed ones, and the other side has a say in which yours becomes. What we can do is map the phases your case is likely to move through so you see each one coming. That map is part of the Strategy Consultation.
Do I need a lawyer, or can I handle this myself?
Texas allows you to represent yourself in a family-law case, and for some genuinely simple, fully agreed matters that can be reasonable. Whether it is wise for your situation depends on what is at stake and how likely the agreement is to hold. If your matter is straightforward, tell us on the alignment review and we will point you to the simpler path. If it has stakes, we will say so.
What to expect, start to finish
Practice-specific questions

The law questions livewith the law.

How Texas judges weigh a child’s preference, what counts as a material change, how community property divides: each practice-area page answers its own questions in depth.

Divorce Child Custody Custody Modification Adoption CPS Defense Protective Orders
All practice areas
Still have questions

The fastest way to a real answer
is fifteen minutes
with our intake team.

The Free Case Alignment Review confirms fit, conflicts, and jurisdiction, and points you to the right next step, even when that step is not us.

Begin a Free Case Alignment Review
Or call (945) 300-5522 · 30-minute callback promise

This website is an advertisement for legal services. The attorney responsible for its content is Halina Radchenko, Family Law of North Texas. Principal office: Plano, Texas. The information on this website is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this website, contacting our firm, or submitting an inquiry form does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past case results and outcomes described on this website are based on the unique facts and law applicable to those cases and do not guarantee, predict, or warrant any similar result in any future case. Every case is different and depends on its specific facts and circumstances. Not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization unless expressly stated.