Bremerton Lawyer Serving Kitsap County
I represent divorce, family law, and crime victims' rights clients located in and around Kitsap County, Washington, including the communities of Bremerton, Bainbridge Island, Silverdale, Poulsbo, Shelton, Port Orchard, Gig Harbor, Belfair, Port Townsend, Kingston, Jefferson County, and Mason County, as well as all of the surrounding areas, and the military bases of Naval Base Kitsap and Keyport.
Although not a native to Bremerton or Kitsap County, it is a great pleasure to practice law in Kitsap County, and I enjoy my Bremerton office very much. Nothing like being able to hear eagulls from your law office! Please see the about page to learn more about my reasons for practicing law in Kitsap County and my experience as a lawyer here in Washington, and my reasons for moving to the Kitsap County area.
Divorce, Family law, and Crime Victims' Rights Attorney
Please click on the areas of law below or at the top of the page to get a more complete description of the area of law, what topics are covered, what my law practice focuses on, and other information.
Divorce and Family Law Attorney
Family law issues include divorce, child custody modification, child support modification, child visitation modification, paternity issues, grandparents' rights, paternity, adoption, legal separation, separation agreements, spousal support and alimony, temporary child support or spousal support, parenting plans, meretricious relationships (often confused with common law marriage), fathers' rights, joint child custody, and much more.
All the events which fall under the umbrella of family law are extremely important events in your life and the lives of your child or children. A competent family law attorney is essential to get a good result for your family. I also handle international and Indian law divorce and family law issues. Few attorneys have any experience with divorces or other family law issues that also involve immigration issues or Indian law issues. These issues can include support obligations incurred by a visa application, pre-nuptial agreements between an American citizen and a foreign spouse, issues related to the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), divorces where each spouse lives in a different country, and many other fairly unique circumstances.
Crime Victims' Rights Lawyer
I help crime victims, sexual assault victims, and domestic violence victims get and enforce restraining orders, protection orders, domestic violence protection orders, and other protective measures, as well as dealing with special issues (such as working with a university to change a class schedule for a sexual assault that occurred at school), while maintaining as much privacy and confidentiality as possible.
Since doing work for the National Crime Victims Law Institute, I have been extremely interested in the area of crime victims' rights. This is a new area of law where few attorneys have expertise. In Washington, victims of a crime (and sometimes family members of the victim) have certain rights in relation to a criminal trial, and an attorney with knowledge of the area can make sure that those rights are respected. These include being notified of what is happening in the criminal case of the perpetrator, being able to be present at the trial of the perpetrator, being able to express your views of the crime at the perpetrator's sentencing, getting restitution from the perpetrator, and more.
A lawyer can also assist in applying for a restraining order, protection order, domestic violence protection order, or other protective orders. Having an attorney represent you will ensure you will be heard and that you get a sense of resolution. A lawyer who knows victims' rights laws can also help you find creative ways to use the legal system so that you receive the protection you need while maintaining privacy and confidentiality.
There may be potential civil claims as well. Although the prosecutor's office will assist you, remember that the prosecutor's goals (such as getting the case resolved quickly) often do not coincide with the goals of a victim, and without representation you may not get the full benefits of the rights you are entitled to.
General Practice
There are many miscellaneous legal issues which I handle. I will not accept a case if I do not know the law well enough to handle it competently, but I often can refer the matter to a competent lawyer who practices in that area of law.
Why Choose Me as Your Family Law or Victims' Rights Lawyer?
I have tried to make my law practice as client-centered as possible. As an attorney I think it is important to try and serve clients as well as possible. Not just being a lawyer who provides high quality legal services, but provides legal services which are convenient and affordable. My law practice tries to focus on providing a high level of availability, affordability, and communication without sacrificing the quality of attorney services provided.
Meet With Your Lawyer on Evenings or Weekends
While other lawyers may only be available 9:00-5:00, I try to make myself available during the evenings and weekends whenever possible. I understand that it is difficult for many people to take time off work to see an attorney, or they have a child or children they can't leave online. Because I am a solo practitioner and a lawyer committed to client service, I am more than willing to meet clients after-hours and have the necessary flexibility to be able to.
Reasonable Attorney's Fees
Having reasonable fees involves more than just having a reasonable hourly rate. As a lawyer, I strive to take into account the financial situations of my clients in every decision I make, rather than billing the maximum possible hours. I am committed to not only having a reasonable fee, but reasonable billing practices.
Free Consultation With an Attorney
I provide consultations at no charge, up to one-half of an hour for any divorce, family law, or victims' rights law issue. Unlike some law firms, I meet with clients personally, so they are talking with the lawyer working on their case instead of a different lawyer or a paralegal. Feel free to drop in at my Bremerton office, call to arrange an appointment, or e-mail me. Better yet, fill out the contact form on the "contact me" page and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Contacting me with some general information about your legal problem before-hand allows me to be more prepared for your consultation and thus make better use of our time.
Flat Fees for Some Attorney Services
Where possible, I try to offer flat fees for legal services. This way, you know exactly what your attorney's fees will be, and will not be confronted with an unexpectedly high bill from your lawyer later on.
Lawyer Who Tries to Help Clients Help Themselves
Attorneys' fees are high, and there are some things that the typical person can do themselves. Where possible, I try to offer packages that allow motivated clients to do part of the work themselves to save money without compromising on quality. As your lawyer, I look up the law and give legal advice, but the client could handle aspects of the case that don't really require an attorney. I am not the type of lawyer who has to handle everything. I think sometimes a client who is a self-starter can, with their intimate knowledge of their case, do things just as well as an attorney and do not need their lawyer to do everything.
Bremerton Office Located in Central Kitsap County
My office is located in Bremerton in Kitsap County, Washington. From this location it is easy to serve clients throughout Kitsap County, Mason County, and Jefferson County. I am close enough to the Kitsap County Superior Courthouse, the Jefferson County Superior Courthouse, and the Mason County Superior Courthouse that you will not have to pay for extensive fees for travel time.
My address is: Michael D. Johnson, Attorney at Law; 2135 6th Street, Suite 102; Bremerton, WA 98312.
For a convenient online contact form, please visit the contact page.