We hear this question all the time here at Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell:
What do I do if I just got served with papers?
In short, here’s what you should do:
Don’t panic, but act right away.
Try to stay as calm as you can—getting all worked up won’t help your situation at all. If you’ve been served with divorce or child custody papers, you might have to deal with some feelings of shock, sadness, and maybe even get depressed. But as soon as you can muster it, try to put your emotions aside for a few minutes and ACT.
Act now for best results
What do you need to act on right away, you ask? Call a lawyer for specific legal advice as soon as possible. In the exact moment when you get served with papers, the clock is already ticking. On any Judicial Council form, the amount of days you have to respond will be listed. This date is extremely important to remember at all times after you’re served, because if you don’t respond by that date, there can be serious consequences which vary depending on your particular situation.
What happens if you don’t act right away
For example, if you’re served with divorce papers and fail to respond, you may receive what’s known as a “default divorce.” This means that the divorce settlement terms that your spouse outlined in the divorce petition will be put in place without you having an opportunity to contest anything. Especially if you have children, there will likely be at least a few disagreements to work out before the divorce terms are finalized, so it’s incredibly important to make an appointment with one of the experienced divorce lawyers at Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell to go over your papers and help you decide on the best response before time runs out.
How your initial appointment will go
At Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, we pride ourselves on delivering quality service to all our valued clients. Call 909-482-1422, email info@parents4children.com, or fill out the Quick Contact form to the right of this page to make an initial appointment at a date and time that’s convenient for you. Then just come in to speak with one of our partners and ask any questions or concerns you may have. We’re glad to provide expert legal advice starting at the very first initial consultation, so you will get the help you need right from the get-go.
Why do you charge for an initial consultation?
Many other law firms provide free first consultations, but here at Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell we decided not to follow that practice for several important reasons. The most resounding one is that we found that we serve our clients best when we give them a good chunk of time to consult with us without feeling rushed, and we recognized the importance of our attorney partners personally meeting with each of our clients in every single appointment. Many law firms restrict free initial consultations to only 15-minute appointments, which hardly seems long enough to understand the nuances of each case and offer pertinent legal advice.
Other firms also have staff members meet with the clients for these initial consultations, so the potential client doesn’t even get to meet the lawyer who will be working on his or her case until their 2nd visit. At Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, you can count on always meeting with the exact lawyer who is working on your particular case, so you can develop a relationship of mutual respect and trust as you navigate your legal matters together.
So in a nutshell, we decided to cut out the usual practice of free consultations and get straight to the important work of serving our clients’ legal need right off the bat. Makes sense, right?
Schedule your appointment now
We only charge $60 for an initial consultation, which lasts up to an hour. You’ll get to know either attorney Kristina Kendall-Gkikas, Thomas Kendall, or Brian D. Mitchell, Esq. and ask any questions you may have about your case. They are the best family law attorneys in the entire Claremont, CA area, so book your initial consultation as soon as possible if you’re served with papers anywhere in Southern California.
