Consultations With Fichtman Law

This page explains what a consultation is, what it isn’t, which consultation may fit your situation, and what happens next.

Fichtman Law is based in Crystal River and serves clients throughout Citrus County in divorce and family-law matters, along with select Florida real-estate matters.

An initial consultation is a focused first conversation. It gives you an opportunity to explain the basics of what is happening, identify the type and current status of the matter, discuss your primary concerns, and determine whether Fichtman Law may be able to help.

Standard consultations are scheduled through our office. They are set for 30 minutes. The substantive discussion is usually about 20 minutes, with time left near the end for questions about anything that was not covered or anything you may have heard or read from another source.

The purpose is to understand the matter, determine whether the firm is able to accept it and whether the representation appears to be a good fit, and discuss possible next steps. A standard consultation is not a document-review appointment and is not a strategy session.

Contact the office to begin the consultation process. →

What Happens After You Contact the Office?

Calling or emailing the office begins the consultation process. A consultation is confirmed only after the New Client Intake Form is completed so the conflict check can be done, the consultation fee is paid in advance, and our office confirms the appointment.

Contact the office to begin the consultation process. →

What Is the Purpose of the Consultation?

The consultation is designed to cover the information needed for a useful first discussion, including:

• What type of legal matter you are dealing with.
• Whether a court case or other legal proceeding has already been filed.
• The basic facts and current status of the matter.
• Any immediate hearing, deadline, sale, closing, foreclosure, or other time-sensitive event you know about.
• The primary problem you are trying to address.
• What you hope to accomplish or understand next.
• Whether the matter is one Fichtman Law handles and is presently able to accept.
• Whether the matter and the firm appear to be a good fit for the representation.
• Possible next steps if the matter is appropriate for the firm.

You do not need to know every legal issue or have every answer before calling. The purpose of the consultation is to give the attorney enough context to understand the matter at a practical level and determine what may need to happen next.

How Long Is the Consultation?

Standard consultations are scheduled in 30-minute time blocks. In many matters, the main discussion takes approximately 20 minutes. The remaining time allows the attorney to address questions, clarify anything that was not covered, and discuss what happens after the consultation.

Near the end, you may also ask about something you have heard from another attorney, a friend or family member, an online source, or another source of information. The goal is to make sure the important questions you brought to the consultation have an opportunity to be addressed within the scheduled time.

Which Consultation May Fit?

Different consultation options serve different starting points. The descriptions below can help you identify which option may fit your situation.

• Standard Consultation — For most family-law matters. This is the shorter first meeting for the basics, fit, and a general next-step discussion.
• Divorce Readiness Consultation — For someone considering divorce who wants a longer educational discussion about general rights, options, practical considerations, and questions before deciding how to proceed. It has a separate consultation fee and must be specifically requested when you contact the office.
• Strategy Session / Second Opinion Consultation — For someone who already has a case, has a complex situation, or wants more detailed strategy before filing. This is a longer, premium consultation that may include limited advance review of selected documents within defined boundaries. It has a separate consultation fee and must be specifically requested when you contact the office.
• Uncontested Divorce Planning Consultation — For someone who believes an agreed divorce may be possible and wants a 60-minute, educational and fit-based discussion about whether the uncontested process appears to fit, what is required, and what unresolved issues could prevent the matter from proceeding as uncontested.
• Real Estate Consultation — For select Florida real-estate matters the firm agrees to evaluate, with a focused first discussion about the basic issue, current status, known deadlines, and possible next steps.

What a Standard Consultation Is — and Is Not

A standard consultation is a focused first conversation for the basics, fit, and general next steps. It is not intended to become a full review of the file or a comprehensive strategy session. Clients who need more detailed, document-informed analysis may request the separate Strategy Session / Second Opinion Consultation.

Limited Initial Review

You do not need to bring or send a full document package for a standard consultation. The consultation may touch a case number, key dates, or one specific document when useful to understand the matter, but it is not intended for detailed document-by-document review. Limited advance document review may be included only as part of a separately requested Strategy Session / Second Opinion Consultation within the scope established for that consultation.

General Next-Step Discussion

The attorney may discuss general options and possible next steps based on the information provided. The purpose is to understand the basics, determine fit, and decide whether the firm may be able to assist—not to develop a detailed case plan, litigation roadmap, or transaction strategy during the initial meeting.

If more detailed document review, analysis, or strategic planning is needed before representation begins, the separate Strategy Session / Second Opinion Consultation may be the appropriate option. If the firm accepts the matter and the representation moves forward, additional legal work can also be addressed after the consultation.

Divorce Readiness Consultation

Thinking about divorce but not sure what you want to do?

The Divorce Readiness Consultation is a longer, educational consultation for someone who is considering divorce but has not necessarily decided to file. It is designed for people who want to understand their legal rights, available options, and the practical issues that may affect them before making a major decision.

You may have questions such as:

• What are my rights if I decide to divorce?
• What could happen to our home, property, retirement accounts, or debts?
• Could alimony apply in my situation?
• What should I understand about parenting, timesharing, or child support?
• Are there financial issues I should be thinking about before filing?
• Is there anything I should or should not do before making a decision?
• What does the Florida divorce process generally look like?
• What information should I gather if I want to better understand my situation?

You do not need to have decided to file for divorce, and you do not need to be ready to hire an attorney. The purpose of the Divorce Readiness Consultation is educational: to help you understand the issues that may affect you, answer your questions, and give you greater clarity before deciding what you want to do next. The Divorce Readiness Consultation is a separate, longer consultation and must be specifically requested when you contact the office.

Strategy Session / Second Opinion Consultation

A Strategy Session / Second Opinion Consultation is a separate, longer, premium consultation for someone who already has a case, is dealing with a complex situation, or wants more detailed strategy before filing. Unlike a standard consultation, which is primarily for the basics, fit, and general next steps, this option is intended for more focused, document-informed analysis.

It may include limited review of selected documents in advance, within the scope established for the consultation. It is not an open-ended file review, full case audit, or unlimited document analysis. This option has a separate consultation fee and must be specifically requested when you contact the office.

Uncontested Divorce Planning Consultation

An Uncontested Divorce Planning Consultation is a 60-minute, educational and fit-based discussion for someone who believes an agreed divorce may be possible. It focuses on whether the uncontested process appears to fit the situation, what information and written terms may be required, and what issues remain open.

The consultation may also identify issues that could prevent the case from proceeding as uncontested, including disagreement about property, debt, alimony, parenting, child support, required financial disclosure, or the terms needed to complete the case. It does not guarantee that the matter will remain uncontested and is not a full file review or second-opinion consultation.

Learn more about uncontested divorce →

What to Have Ready

You do not need a full document package. Helpful items may include a case number if one exists, key dates or deadlines, and one specific document if it is central to explaining the issue. The goal is to make the first conversation easier, not to prepare a complete file for review. If you request a Strategy Session / Second Opinion Consultation, any advance document review is limited to selected materials within the scope established for that consultation.

Family Law Consultations

Family law is the firm’s primary practice focus. Consultations may involve a new matter, an existing case, a post-judgment issue, or a question about whether a particular family-law problem is appropriate for the firm.

Family-law matters may include:

• Divorce and dissolution of marriage.
• Uncontested divorce and agreed divorce matters.
• Child custody, timesharing, parenting plans, and parental responsibility.
• Child support.
• Alimony and spousal support.
• Property division and equitable distribution.
• Modification of existing family-law orders.
• Enforcement and contempt matters.
• Paternity and related parenting or support issues.
• Divorce matters involving a marital home, mortgage, deed transfer, buyout, sale, or other connected real-estate issue.

For later-life divorce questions involving retirement accounts, the marital home, alimony, substantial property, or business interests, see Gray Divorce in Citrus County.

Explore Fichtman Law Family Law Services →

Learn About Divorce and Real Estate Issues →

Real Estate Consultations

Fichtman Law also handles select Florida real-estate matters. A real-estate consultation follows the same initial format: explain the basic problem, identify the current status and any known deadline, determine whether the firm handles the type of matter and is able to accept it, and discuss possible next steps.

Select real-estate matters may include:

• Foreclosure matters.
• Partition matters involving jointly owned real property.
• Quiet-title matters.
• Other select real-estate matters the firm agrees to evaluate.

A real-estate consultation is not intended for a full review of deeds, mortgages, contracts, title commitments, closing files, loan documents, or correspondence. You do not need a complete document package; if one specific document is central to the issue, the initial discussion may touch it at a limited level.

View Select Real Estate Services →

When Family Law and Real Estate Overlap

Some matters do not fit neatly into only one category. A divorce may involve the marital home, mortgage liability, equity, refinancing, a buyout, a deed transfer, a future sale, or an obligation that was supposed to occur after the final judgment.

In those situations, the consultation can identify the basic family-law and real-estate issues involved and help determine which problem needs to be addressed first. The detailed analysis of documents or development of a strategy occurs only if appropriate after the initial consultation.

Learn More About Divorce →

What Happens After the Consultation?

At the end of the consultation, the attorney should have enough information to determine whether the matter appears appropriate for the firm and to explain the next step if the firm is able to accept the representation.

If the matter appears to be a good fit and the firm is available to accept it, you may receive a folder after the consultation containing the engagement agreement and additional information about moving forward. The office can explain what is required if you decide you would like to retain the firm.

If the matter is not one the firm handles, cannot be accepted, or does not appear to be the right fit, the consultation may still help clarify the type of legal issue involved and what kind of next step may be appropriate.

Consultation Questions Clients Commonly Ask

How do I begin the consultation process?

Contact the office to begin the consultation process. →

How much time is scheduled?

For a standard consultation, the office schedules 30 minutes. The main discussion is typically about 20 minutes, with time left near the end for questions and wrap-up.

How long is the Uncontested Divorce Planning Consultation?

It is scheduled for 60 minutes. The discussion focuses on whether the uncontested process appears to fit, what is required, and what unresolved issues could prevent the matter from proceeding as uncontested.

Read about uncontested divorce →

Should I send documents before the consultation?

You do not need to send a full document package for a standard consultation. A limited initial review may touch one specific document if it is central to understanding the issue, but the standard consultation is not a detailed document-review appointment. A Strategy Session / Second Opinion Consultation may include limited advance review of selected documents within the scope established for that consultation.

Is the initial consultation a strategy session?

No. A standard consultation is for discussing the basics, determining whether the matter is appropriate for the firm, evaluating fit, and discussing general next steps. It is not a comprehensive strategy or case-planning session. More detailed strategy or second-opinion analysis is available only through the separate Strategy Session / Second Opinion Consultation, which must be specifically requested and has a separate consultation fee.

What should I be ready to explain?

You do not need a full document package. If available, have the case number, key dates or deadlines, and one specific document that is central to the issue.

Can I ask questions about something I heard or read elsewhere?

Yes. Time is generally left near the end of the consultation for questions that were not already covered, including questions about information you may have heard or read from another source.

Does Fichtman Law handle both family law and real estate consultations?

Yes. Family law and divorce are the firm’s primary practice focus, and the firm also handles select Florida real-estate matters. The office can obtain basic information when you call to determine whether the matter is one the firm evaluates.

Does scheduling a consultation mean the firm will take my case?

No. One purpose of the consultation is to determine whether Fichtman Law is able to accept the matter and whether the representation appears to be a good fit.

What happens if the firm can accept my matter?

If the matter appears to be a good fit and the firm is available to accept it, you may receive a folder after the consultation containing the engagement agreement and additional information about moving forward.

Begin the Consultation Process

You do not need to have every answer before speaking with the firm. A consultation is the starting point for explaining the basics, determining whether Fichtman Law may be able to assist, and understanding what may happen next.

Contact the office to begin the consultation process. →

Law Office of Steven D. Fichtman, PLLC

839 N.E. US Hwy 19

Crystal River, Florida

352-364-9112