Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, effective May 17, 2020, the Bell County courts are only hearing essential hearings until April 10, 2020. An essential hearing includes criminal proceedings, CPS removal hearings, temporary restraining orders, juvenile detention hearings, and family violence protective orders. All other hearings will need to be reset to a later date. Bell county joins McLennan, Coryell, and Travis counties in the temporary shutdown.
Keep in mind, this does not mean you cannot proceed with your case. There are several other options to move your case forward that do not involve the courts. These other options are just as effective, if not more effective, than the judicial system.
Mediation
The first option is mediation. In mediation, parties can sit down with a trained mediator and resolve their issues that way. Another option is with attorneys and a mediator. Each attorney and their client will be in separate rooms and the mediator goes back and forth between the two to help the parties reach an agreement. Statistically, approximately 97% of cases that go to mediation will settle and settle with something everyone can live with. Just trying mediation puts the odds resolving your case hugely in your favor.
Collaborative Law
Another option is collaborative law. In a collaborative setting, the parties each have attorneys who are trained in collaborative law. They enlist a fifth person who serves as the communication facilitator. The communication facilitator can “put the train back on the track” if the parties stray from the task at hand and return to old habits of bickering and arguing.
Negotiation
A third option is good old-fashioned negotiation. The parties sit down and work it out or the parties’ attorneys do the same. Many times, that’s all that’s needed to resolve a case.
Our office will remain open and available to you. We’ll be happy to schedule a phone consultation if you’re not comfortable coming to the office. With the magic of technology these days, we can pretty much do everything by phone and email that we can do in-person. You can also contact our firm online.
When you are ready to discuss your case with an attorney who will genuinely listen to you and empathize with your situation, call (254) 221-8588.