Modifications of Orders

Working With Twin Cities Residents to Receive Accurate Court Orders

It’s not uncommon for family law judgments to become outdated over time. For example, let’s say that you divorce your partner and receive full custody of your child, along with a child support arrangement. Five years later, your child develops a hereditary medical disorder that costs $500 per month to treat. It makes sense that your ex would help you fund that treatment, perhaps splitting it with you.

To ensure your ex helps you pay for the treatment, you may have to file for an order modification with the court that issued the original child support order.

At Johnson/Turner Legal, our Minnesota order modification attorneys have the tools to help you navigate the modification process. We’ll set you up with a team consisting of an experienced Minnesota order modification attorney, two paralegals, a client engagement specialist, and a life coach, so you have the support you deserve throughout the process.

To arrange a consultation with our firm and learn more about how we can help you, contact us online or via phone at (320) 299-4249.

How Do I Know if I Need an Order Modification?

If you need to modify an existing court order because the circumstances dictating the order have changed or want to oppose another party’s request for an order modification, you need a modification attorney.

If you believe a party (such as a child you have joint custody over) is in danger or need to change an order immediately, you should consider an emergency order modification instead of a standard order modification.

Similarly, if a party is not complying with an order and you need to enforce it, you should file for an order enforcement.

An attorney can help you enforce existing court orders or file for an emergency modification, but the process will be different than filing for a standard order modification.

Here at Johnson/Turner Legal, we break up the modification process into four phases: The case strategy phase, the mediation phase, the court phase, and the final settlement phase. We’ll break down each phase, so you know just what you’re getting if you bring us on board for your modification case.

The Case Strategy Phase

If it seems like we take more steps to get to know our clients than the average law firm, that’s because we do. Our flat-fee pricing model allows us to charge for the service we provide, not the time it takes to render that service. You’ll know up-front exactly how much our services cost. When we call you to see how you’re doing, it’s not because we’re trying to hustle you for some money—we genuinely care about your well-being.

During the case strategy phase, we take the following steps:

• Start with Johnson/Turner Legal. In your initial consultation, we’ll give you our opinion on your case and discuss how we can help you proceed. If you decide to move forward with us, we get the ball rolling.
• Case commencement call. We’ll have an initial call to discuss the case further and help you understand what to expect from the process. Every case is different, so we’ll tailor our recommendations to your needs.
• Team building. As we mentioned earlier, we assign a variety of legal professionals to every case. Throughout the case, our entire team will work with you to keep you in the loop, so you never feel lost.
• Case evaluation. Once everyone is on the same page, we’ll take a deep dive into your case and evaluate all the details.
• Case strategy. Once we feel like we’ve got a good handle on your case, we’ll develop a case strategy tailored to maximize your chances of success.

After we take the above steps, we’re ready to begin pursuing your case in earnest.

The Mediation Phase

Frequently, mediation is a more cost-effective (and less stressful) way to resolve order modification disputes. At Johnson/Turner Legal, we’ll pursue alternative dispute resolution methods like mediation to save our clients time, anxiety, and money. During the mediation phase, we:

• Select a mediator and schedule mediation. We’ll help both parties find the right mediator for the case, so they feel comfortable.
• Investigate issues and collect evidence. Depending on the kind of order you want to modify (and how you want to change it), we’ll seek out certain documents or evidence that can support your case.
• Prepare a mediation statement and provide it to the mediator. We’ll help you pursue your best interests and draft a compelling mediation statement for the mediator.
• Attend mediation. We’ll be there with you throughout the mediation to support you and address any concerns you have. If mediation is successful, we’ll help you sign a binding mediation agreement with the other party.

If mediation is unsuccessful, we move on to the next step.

The Court Phase

Needless to say, an out-of-court resolution isn’t always feasible. We’re here to be an aggressive advocate for your rights in the courtroom. If we take your case to court, we:

• Investigate issues and collect evidence. We take evidence-collection a step further in the court phase, completely shoring up your case and making sure it’s airtight.
• Prepare documents for court filing. Documents like the motion to modify, sworn affidavits from people close to the case, and exhibits of evidence all have to be filed with the court. We’ll take care of it for you.
• File and serve court documents. Filing and serving documents can be complicated, which is why we take matters into our own hands.
• Respond to the opposing party’s submissions in court. If the opposing party files evidence, affidavits, or counterclaims, we’re here to advocate for you.
• Prepare an oral argument. After taking the previous steps, we begin ramping up to the order modification hearing and preparing our arguments.
• Attend the hearing. At the hearing, we’ll pursue your best interests and fight for your rights.
• Receive the court order. Depending on the case, the court might ask a subject matter expert to investigate issues, require a second hearing, or make a judgment. We’ll be there, no matter what the court decides.

These steps bring us to the final phase.

The Final Settlement Phase

During the final settlement phase, we:

• Prepare stipulations and orders. This step formalizes the order modification requests on your behalf, setting forth a definitive agreement for the modified order.
• Circulate to the opposing counsel and party for signatures. To finalize the new order, we’ll need to collect signatures from other parties.
• File the stipulation and new order with the court. This step fully finalizes the order modification and makes the new order legally binding.

A balanced life is a happy life, but very little unbalances your life like the challenges that come from family law issues. We’ll help get your family life back in balance.

To receive a consultation with an experienced Minnesota modifications legal professional today, contact us online or give us a call at (320) 299-4249.