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02 Feb, 2023 by Ron naiser
Best Attorney in Hood County. Professional and Honest.
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11 Nov, 2022 by Tim helton
Great service, fair pricing
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07 Nov, 2022 by Brandon holtzinger
I have always been told to get a will and I kept putting it off. I finally contacted Mr Davis. Him and Jessica made the process so easy I have no idea why I did not get it done sooner.
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24 Feb, 2024 by Scott torian
Great experience ... helpful and very curious staff
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01 Nov, 2023 by Susan franks
Highly recommend!
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29 Jun, 2023 by Danny free
Called to see if they could help me with a real estate issue and the lady I talked to was very rude, talk down to me, then after asking me questions apparently for her entertainment, insisted they couldn't help. What a way to treat a senior citizen just looking for help.
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18 Sep, 2024 by Quest ballard
The team here is truly what they claim to be, ethically sound ,fair but take no bull bunch! They assisted me in navigating a very unique and lengthy divorce. However in the end all was handled cordially, and in the immediate sense, with unwavering commitment to seeing this settled, with amicable results.
"Thank you"- Quest Ballard
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19 Aug, 2024 by Christie hill
I cannot express the gratitude I have for
Mr. Walsh and his team. Very pleased with their work ethics and communications, they helped make everything run so smoothly. Thank you!!
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15 Apr, 2024 by Lashawn henson
Mr Walsh has helped me several times over the years, he's great with communication and honest about what to expect. He's worth every dime. You're seriously cheating yourself if you don't hire him.
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17 Aug, 2024 by Chris newton
Mr. Hyde helped us immensely when we are beginning the Medicare/medicaid journey with our Dad. He is very honest with his advise and went the extra mile for us. We recommend him highly.
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10 Jul, 2024 by Mark drumheller
I will always recommend Hyde Law. Number one family law attorneys in town!
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13 Jun, 2024 by Ricky bobby
Need to update the services you provide. States you handle Legal Malpractice. I called in to check and was told you don't...
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25 Oct, 2021 by Greg
Worst Firm I have ever dealt with. I retained them for a business and for my divorce, while Kellye Sorelle was still working at the firm. Unfortunately, against my better judgement I remained with them after her departure. My divorce took 22 months to finalize and in the 20+ months The Hyde Firm worked my divorce, they never filed a single response on my behalf, to any petition from the opposing counsel. They were completely unresponsive to my emails, voice messages, texts, etc.. At one point they sent confidential information to the opposing counsel during discovery, which was for their eyes only. When I closed out my business with them, they sent me another clients information mixed into my legal files.......what a disaster. I ended up retaining Koons Fuller Law Firm and they finalized my divorce in five weeks. Wow, what a difference!
As for the business side, I had contracts submitted to this firm that never got reviewed or had any feedback provided from a legal perspective. Months after the non responsiveness, I just stopped sending them items for the business altogether.
This is just a small snippet of issues, I could go on. Hopefully nobody goes through what I did.
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10 May, 2021 by Randall
Ashley is very professional. She has assisted my wife with a real estate transfer and my mother with obtaining control of her Living Trust. Both circumstances obtained positive outcomes for us.
I highly recommend her!
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12 Oct, 2015 by Anonymous
Paul Hyde and his practice was such an injustice to me during my divorce. If took 2 years to get a divorce and we didn't even have any children. He won't enforce anything the judge told my ex to pay for. But it sure didn't make it where if my ex does pay, it goes into account set up at his firm to be distributed to me.
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29 May, 2019 by Anonymous
Melinda Owens came highly recommended from a close friend and she has provided legal advice and guidance during a lawsuit to collect money from a former business client. I found her to be experienced, responsive, knowledgable and honest. While working with Melinda, I felt as though my situation was in adept and trustworthy hands, and she did not steer me wrong.
I would highly recommend Melinda to anyone seeking legal representation that is fair, honest and will keep your best interest and unique needs at the forefront. Should the situation arise, I would not hesitate to seek representation from Mrs. Owens team again.
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24 Apr, 2019 by Anonymous
I was misguided and told that if I allowed my child to go live with his dad prior to our change of custody orders being final, if ANYTHING happened, I could go pick him up and THEN she would deal with the paperwork. Unfortunately, fact was...legally, once I went against the then current orders, and allowed him to go out of schedule...I had no leg to stand on.
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09 Jun, 2017 by Dave
Melinda Owens represented me in my recent divorce and I want to share my thoughts on her representation:
She may be pricier than some other attorneys, but I think her expertise in family law and her availability when you have questions are worth it. Don't be afraid to check out other attorneys, but definitely do not miss Melinda. I think you'll find that she's the kind of attorney you want on your side.
Her office is conveniently located very close to the courthouse (judicial annex).
She was relentless when it came to representing my interests. She helped ensure not only that my ex-wife or the court didn't take my child from me, but that I'd keep my income so that I'm able to raise my child.
I pestered her at some odd times of day with some stressful questions about what my ex-wife could and could not do in my home and to my property. Melinda always answered timely and with answers that were very appreciated. She made stressful situations much easier to deal with.
In the end, I think my divorce ended about as fairly as could be, and I owe much of that to Melinda Owens.
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17 Aug, 2024 by Chris newton
Mr. Hyde helped us immensely when we are beginning the Medicare/medicaid journey with our Dad. He is very honest with his advise and went the extra mile for us. We recommend him highly.
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10 Jul, 2024 by Mark drumheller
I will always recommend Hyde Law. Number one family law attorneys in town!
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13 Jun, 2024 by Ricky bobby
Need to update the services you provide. States you handle Legal Malpractice. I called in to check and was told you don't...
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08 Jan, 2024 by Ryan curry
Very friendly and helpful.
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22 Dec, 2023 by That guy
14 Oct, 2022 by Ricky l smith
04 Jun, 2016 by Emeigh
I am very glad that I went to see Pamela Walker to have my will drawn up. She was very kind to me, explained everything very well, and the whole process was easy. I had been putting off having a will made for sometime, but Pamela Walker made this a pleasant experience. I would recommend her to anyone who wants a really great attorney who takes the time to explain things. Top rated A#1 in my book.
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07 Jan, 2014 by Britain
I paid this so called attorney $100.00 for what ended up being the worst experience with someone who is suppose to be on your side . This is what happened that day...November 25, 2013...My fifteen year old son and I arrived at Pamela A Walker's Law Office located in Granbury, Texas in hopes that she would help in a matter which concerned another county worker in which he had suddenly and abruptly thrown me and my son out of his office because I was trying to get him to explain "Teen Court" which my son had agreed to participate in as his punishment for smoking a cigar on school ground's with two others on the last day of school 2013, but only after being subtly coerced by several county officials days previously in a make shift county court. Upon arriving at Mrs. Walker's office, I came to observe her husband was her secretary. While sitting waiting for our appointment I over heard Mrs. Walker talking to a Judge from the county and worried that he may not like what she was wearing when she was to appear in court in front of him that evening. She seemed to be trying her best to appease the Judge. Soon Mrs. Walker came from behind the wall dividing us and ushered my son and I into her office. Immediately Mrs. Walker attempted to focus all her attention on my son and convince him to "do", as she put it, "Teen Court". When I tried to explain why I hired her she abruptly told me I was being "confrontational". Her eyes immediately went back to my son as she was trying her best to win his confidence by flattering him and telling him he looks like a good boy. Everything was about "looks" to this less than physically appealing homely late fifties possibly, woman. Every time I would try to say something she looked very sternly at me and again repeated that I was being "confrontational" . She even threatened to put me out of the room, which she finally accomplished after making my son start to cry, but assumed he was crying because of possible "abuse" at home?? At one point she asked my son if he was on medication, because of the way his eyes looked. My son and I immediately told her he had allergies and was recently diagnosed as being allergic to practically everything. Mrs. Walker informed my son that he would need to bring proof of his allergies to "Teen Court" so others wouldn't think he was on drugs and in order to prove his innocence to the court. What Mrs. Walker said right then and there was what I had suspected "Teen Court" was about all along. Teen Court is only to make matters worse for all those young innocent unsuspecting children that are slyly mislead when appearing before the county Justices in this town. As far as the man, (a former Sargent with the Granbury Police Dept, and whom misrepresented himself when he introduced himself to me and my son as "Investigator", days previously) in charge of signing unsuspecting children up for "Teen Court"...I realized he was the one who first labeled me "confrontational" because he had to come up with an excuse why he suddenly threw me and my son out of his office when we went to sign up and after I tried to prob him for answers about "Teen Court". I came to see that this attorney was working in cahoots with the former investigator/Sargent and officials, all in an attempt to entrap my son in "Teen Court" if was possible. Because obviously according to Mrs. Pamela Walker, the prosecuting teens can ask any questions they want about you, your friends, your family, your aunts, uncles step-dads, etc., about smoking, drugs, stealing...whatever they want. No wonder they were so excited to get my son and other unsuspecting young adults into their little county "Teen Court". According to an Ex Sheriff I dated ...the criminals are the ones running the county! He admitted he was mentally ill and that most cops are sick in the head! Well, to not make a long story short, My son changed his plea and is paying the $214.00 fine instead. Some advice...Stay clear of Hood County, Texas!
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15 Jul, 2013 by William
Hands down the best lawyer in hood county. She handle a cs under one gram case for me and in seven business days she called and said not To worry about the case no more. thank you
William B
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10 Mar, 2021 by Anonymous
I hired Mr. Lawrence to represent my business interests in small claims court to recoup money unlawfully used by my ex-business partner. I paid a flat fee of roughly $500 for what we assumed would be a quick case as I had collected vast amounts of evidence. Initially, I was relieved to have an attorney working my case. However, my experience quickly took a downward spiral. First, we tried sending letters to try to reconcile out of court. I spent hours writing a draft of the key information. When I presented it to Mr. Lawrence, he charged me another $100 to put his letter head on my draft and covered the cost of shipping after I corrected some mistakes he made. After another similar letter, we hired a constable to physically deliver the court papers. Mr. Lawrence coordinated everything and sent me the bill. My ex-partner had fled with no trace and we couldn’t confirm that papers were served. So, Mr. Lawrence placed an ad in the local newspaper to meet the requirement. Again, he coordinated everything and sent me the bill without consulting with me on the price beforehand.
A few months quickly turned into a year with seemingly no progress. During this time, it would typically be a month or longer before receiving an emailed update on the status of my case. He would usually respond after I emailed, sometimes multiple times, to check in. About a week before the one-year mark of beginning this effort, I received a call around 3:30pm from Mr. Lawrence that I finally had a court date scheduled for early the next morning. I had less than 24hrs to coordinate time-off, arrange lodging, and drive over 200 miles away to appear for my hearing. I had no warning. While in the court room waiting for my case, Mr. Lawrence took a phone call and walked out. The bailor called me up before the judge, but had to leave court to retrieve my attorney. When presenting my case, Mr. Lawrence seemed very much unprepared to represent me. He did not have a clear approach to present the evidence and didn’t seem to know how much I was requesting, as he told the judge a number that was about $4K less than I was claiming. Fortunately, I had bought all the evidence I had collected because Mr. Lawrence didn’t appear to bring any deliverables for the judge to review. I felt like I had presented my own case alone. Ultimately, despite expecting a default judgement, the judge pushed my case to next level of authority. Mr. Lawrence had not made it clear to me that there was a limit to how much could be requested in small claims court and we hadn’t strategized prior to the hearing to keep my case below that level.
I left court incredible upset and disappointed that I had wasted a year and a significant amount of money, when Mr. Lawrence could have easily guided us to a reasonable default judgement, to be told to start over. I had already considered firing Mr. Lawrence from my case multiple, this situation didn’t help, but I gave him one last chance. We discussed what went wrong, how we would reapproach at the next level, and how he would do better communicating with me. Unfortunately, after another few months, nothing changed and no progress was made. God put it on my heart to forgive my ex-partner and no longer pursue my case to recoup my losses. Fortunately, I think Mr. Lawrence recognized how fed up I was with this process and when I asked him to cancel my case he didn’t charge any more than he already had to close it.
Very frustrating experience. I will not be returning to Mr. Lawrence or recommending him to anyone I know. However, by the end, I think he recognized how awful my experience was with him and agreed not to charge me anymore than I had already paid. This one redeeming factor is why I’ve given him two-stars.
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FAQs
Questions? We have answers
What an Estate Planning Lawyer Can Do for You
An estate planning lawyer helps individuals plan for the management and distribution of their assets after death or during incapacitation. Their services involve drafting important legal documents, such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives. Estate planning attorneys work to ensure that your assets are transferred according to your wishes, minimize tax liabilities, and avoid probate court. They also help clients plan for potential long-term care needs and protect their estate from being diminished by healthcare costs.
By working with an estate planning lawyer, you can have peace of mind knowing that your loved ones will be cared for and that your estate will be managed efficiently and according to your desires.
When Should I Hire an Estate Planning Lawyer?
Hiring an estate planning lawyer is beneficial in many situations, especially when you want to ensure that your assets are handled properly after death. Common reasons to hire an estate planning lawyer include:
- Drafting a will: If you want to clearly define how your assets will be distributed after death, an attorney can draft a legally sound will.
- Creating a trust: For those looking to avoid probate or provide for loved ones over time, setting up a trust can help manage the distribution of assets.
- Planning for incapacity: An estate lawyer can help draft powers of attorney and healthcare directives so that your financial and medical decisions are made by someone you trust if you become incapacitated.
- Minimizing estate taxes: If your estate is large, a lawyer can help create strategies to reduce or eliminate federal and state estate taxes.
- Special circumstances: If you have minor children, blended families, or complex assets like businesses, an estate planning lawyer can create tailored solutions.
- Guardianship or conservatorship: If you want to designate guardians for minor children or ensure proper care for incapacitated adults, an attorney can help.
Hiring an estate planning lawyer is especially important if your estate is complex or if you want to ensure that your wishes are properly followed.
What Does an Estate Planning Lawyer Do?
An estate planning lawyer provides a range of services designed to help you organize your affairs and ensure your estate is managed according to your wishes. They can:
- Draft wills and trusts: Creating legally binding documents that dictate how your assets will be distributed and managed.
- Create powers of attorney and healthcare directives: Appointing someone to make financial or medical decisions for you if you become incapacitated.
- Minimize taxes: Developing strategies to reduce estate taxes, gift taxes, and other financial liabilities for your heirs.
- Help avoid probate: Structuring your estate plan to avoid probate, which can save time and money for your beneficiaries.
- Advise on long-term care planning: Helping you plan for potential healthcare needs in the future, including Medicaid planning and protecting assets from being depleted by nursing home costs.
- Assist with beneficiary designations: Ensuring that life insurance policies, retirement accounts, and other financial instruments are correctly designated.
- Handle probate and estate administration: If a loved one has passed away, an estate planning lawyer can help guide you through the probate process or act as an executor.
How Are Estate Planning Lawyers Paid?
Estate planning lawyers typically charge for their services in one of several ways, depending on the complexity of your estate and the type of services you need. Common payment structures include:
- Flat fee: Many estate planning services, such as drafting a will or trust, are charged on a flat-fee basis. The fee covers all work related to preparing the document.
- Hourly rate: For more complex planning, such as estate tax strategy or trust administration, lawyers may charge by the hour. Rates vary based on the lawyer’s experience and location.
- Retainer: Some lawyers require a retainer for more complex cases, such as ongoing trust management or estate administration. The retainer is an upfront payment that covers future legal services.
It’s important to discuss fees with your lawyer upfront to avoid unexpected costs.
How Much Does an Estate Planning Lawyer Cost?
The cost of hiring an estate planning lawyer depends on the complexity of your estate and the services you require. Here are some general guidelines:
- Simple wills or powers of attorney: A straightforward will or power of attorney may cost between $300 and $1,500, depending on your location and the lawyer’s experience.
- Trust creation: Establishing a trust, such as a living trust or revocable trust, can cost between $1,000 and $3,000 or more, depending on the complexity of your assets and estate planning needs.
- Comprehensive estate planning packages: Some lawyers offer packages that include wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives, which may range from $2,000 to $5,000 or more, depending on the estate’s complexity.
- Hourly rates: For ongoing services like estate administration or tax planning, lawyers may charge hourly rates ranging from $150 to $500 or more, depending on the lawyer’s experience.
Always get a clear estimate of costs during your initial consultation to ensure the services fit within your budget.
Top Questions to Ask an Estate Planning Lawyer
Before hiring an estate planning lawyer, it’s important to ask questions to ensure they are the right fit for your needs. Here are key questions to ask during your consultation:
-
What is your experience with estate planning?
Ensure the lawyer has substantial experience drafting wills, creating trusts, and handling other estate planning services. -
How will you charge for your services?
Clarify whether the lawyer charges a flat fee or by the hour and ask for a detailed estimate of costs. -
What strategies do you recommend for my estate?
A good lawyer should be able to explain the best strategies for minimizing taxes, avoiding probate, and ensuring your assets are distributed according to your wishes. -
How often should I update my estate plan?
Ask how frequently you should revisit your estate plan, especially if your financial situation or family dynamics change. -
Do you offer ongoing support or updates?
Some lawyers provide periodic reviews or updates to ensure your estate plan stays current with changes in your circumstances or the law. -
How will you help my beneficiaries if something happens to me?
Ensure the lawyer is willing to guide your heirs through the estate administration process or help manage your trust after you’re gone.
How to Check the Credibility of an Estate Planning Lawyer
To ensure you’re hiring a credible estate planning lawyer, follow these steps:
- Verify their state bar license: Check with your state bar association to confirm that the lawyer is licensed and in good standing, with no history of disciplinary actions.
- Look for estate planning certifications: Some lawyers are certified as estate planning specialists, which indicates they have extensive knowledge in this area of law.
- Read client reviews and testimonials: Online reviews on sites like Avvo, Google, or Martindale-Hubbell can provide insight into the lawyer’s professionalism and client satisfaction.
- Ask for references: A credible lawyer should be able to provide references from previous clients who can speak to their expertise and client service.
- Check for membership in professional organizations: Lawyers who are members of organizations like the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) or the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) often have a strong reputation in the field.
What Should I Prepare for My First Consultation?
To get the most out of your first meeting with an estate planning lawyer, it’s important to come prepared. Here’s what you should bring:
- List of assets and liabilities: Provide a detailed inventory of your assets, including real estate, bank accounts, retirement funds, investments, and personal property, as well as any debts you may have.
- List of beneficiaries: Be ready to discuss who you want to receive your assets and in what proportions. This includes naming guardians for minor children if applicable.
- Existing estate documents: Bring copies of any existing wills, trusts, powers of attorney, or other relevant estate planning documents.
- Questions about your estate goals: Write down your goals, such as avoiding probate, reducing taxes, or setting up charitable donations, so your lawyer can tailor a plan to meet your needs.
- Information on medical and financial decision-makers: Be prepared to discuss who you want to appoint for healthcare and financial decisions if you become incapacitated.
By being well-prepared, you can ensure a productive consultation and begin building a comprehensive estate plan that meets your needs and protects your loved ones.
