Family Law Practice Desk
Family law firms and solo family lawyers
Divorce, custody and support matters with disclosures, court dates and retainers.
Use this templateFamily Law Practice Desk
Start each morning on the Dashboard: court dates this week, documents still owed, and retainers below their floor. Each matter moves Intake to Decree entered on the Matters board; add court dates and disclosure requests from the matter so they stay linked. Mark done and Mark served stamp the day.
Start here: how this workspace runs
Dashboard
Running financial disclosure
Evergreen retainers and trust
Matters
Every divorce, custody, support and adoption matter, with its stage, trust balance and marital estate.
| Matter | Stage | Client | Matter type | Lead attorney | Opposing party | Opposing counsel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delgado dissolution with two children | Disclosure | Marisol Delgado | Renata Calloway | Ramon Delgado | Fairweather Stone LLP | |
| Brennan parenting time after relocation | Mediation | Patrick Brennan | Malcolm Pierce | Siobhan Brennan | Self-represented | |
| Achebe divorce, family business at issue | Trial prep | Ngozi Achebe | Renata Calloway | Chidi Achebe | Lomax and Pryor | |
| Whitaker child support recalculation | Retained | Shauna Whitaker | Malcolm Pierce | Derek Whitaker | Self-represented | |
| Nakamura protective order hearing | Retained | Emi Nakamura | Renata Calloway | Withheld for safety | Unknown | |
| Lindqvist and Haas prenuptial agreement | Settled | Annika Lindqvist | Malcolm Pierce | Jonas Haas | Bellweather Family Law | |
| Okafor stepparent adoption | Decree entered | Tobenna Okafor | Renata Calloway | None (consent filed) | None | |
| Moreau spousal support review | Intake | Celine Moreau | Malcolm Pierce | Laurent Moreau | — |
Clients
The people you represent, how to reach them safely, and what is in trust for them.
| Client | Status | Phone | Safe way to reach | Safety concern | Referred by | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marisol Delgado | (512) 555-0161 | marisol.d@inbox-mail.net | — | |||
| Patrick Brennan | (512) 555-0162 | pbrennan@inbox-mail.net | — | |||
| Ngozi Achebe | (512) 555-0163 | ngozi.achebe@inbox-mail.net | — | |||
| Shauna Whitaker | (512) 555-0164 | shauna.w@inbox-mail.net | — | |||
| Emi Nakamura | (512) 555-0165 | emi.n@inbox-mail.net | Yes | |||
| Annika Lindqvist | (512) 555-0166 | annika.l@inbox-mail.net | — | |||
| Tobenna Okafor | (512) 555-0167 | t.okafor@inbox-mail.net | — | |||
| Celine Moreau | (512) 555-0168 | celine.moreau@inbox-mail.net | — |
Court dates and deadlines
Hearings, mediation sessions and filing deadlines, with how each date was counted.
| Court date or deadline | Status | Matter | Kind | Date | Done on | How the date was counted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary orders hearing | Prepared | Delgado dissolution with two children | Oct 23, 2:00 PM | — | Set by the court at the status conference. | |
| Sworn inventory and appraisement due | Calendared | Delgado dissolution with two children | Oct 20, 10:00 PM | — | Per the standing order, 30 days after the answer. | |
| Half-day mediation | Calendared | Brennan parenting time after relocation | Oct 21, 6:00 PM | — | Agreed with the other side by email. | |
| Pretrial exhibit list | To calendar | Achebe divorce, family business at issue | Oct 25, 10:00 PM | — | 14 days before docket call under the scheduling order. | |
| Final trial setting | Calendared | Achebe divorce, family business at issue | Nov 8, 3:00 PM | — | Docket call week; confirm the Friday before. | |
| Answer to support petition | Calendared | Whitaker child support recalculation | Oct 27, 3:00 PM | — | Monday after 20 days from service. | |
| Protective order hearing | Prepared | Nakamura protective order hearing | Oct 26, 1:30 PM | — | Within 14 days of the temporary order. | |
| Co-parenting class certificate | Continued | Brennan parenting time after relocation | Oct 18, 10:00 PM | — | Before final orders; class moved by the provider. |
Financial disclosures
Every document both sides owe in financial disclosure, by category, with values for the property division.
| Disclosure item | Status | Matter | Whose | Category | Value (USD) | Due |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three years of joint tax returns | Served | Delgado dissolution with two children | $0 | Sep 30, 2026 | ||
| Marital home appraisal | Reviewed | Delgado dissolution with two children | $485,000 | Oct 15, 2026 | ||
| Mortgage statement | Received | Delgado dissolution with two children | $212,400 | Oct 15, 2026 | ||
| Husband's 401(k) statements | Missing | Delgado dissolution with two children | $0 | Oct 19, 2026 | ||
| Joint checking, 12 months | Received | Delgado dissolution with two children | $18,350 | Oct 15, 2026 | ||
| Childcare and activity receipts | Requested | Delgado dissolution with two children | $0 | Oct 25, 2026 | ||
| Business valuation, landscaping company | Reviewed | Achebe divorce, family business at issue | $640,000 | Sep 16, 2026 | ||
| Brokerage account statements | Served | Achebe divorce, family business at issue | $126,800 | Aug 21, 2026 |
Family law runs on three clocks at once: the court's dates, the disclosure deadlines, and the client's money in trust. This workspace keeps all three on each matter so nobody has to remember them.
The four tables
Matters: one row per case, with its stage (Intake, Retained, Disclosure, Mediation, Trial prep, Settled, Decree entered, Closed), the opposing party and counsel, court and case number, minor children and the fee arrangement. Each matter totals the assets and debts disclosed into a Net marital estate.
Clients: the person you represent and the safe way to reach them. Safety concern means never leave a message at home and never send mail to a shared address.
Court dates and deadlines: hearings, mediation sessions and filing or response deadlines. Write how the date was counted, so a second person can check it.
Financial disclosures: every document either side owes: tax returns, statements, appraisals, debts, child expenses. Each has a category and a value once known.
A normal week
Monday: the paralegal opens Court dates and deadlines, This week view, and confirms each client knows their date.
Each new date is entered the day it is set, counted by one person and checked by another.
Disclosure requests are added from the matter with Request a document. Anything past due moves to Missing.
Friday: billing opens Matters and reads the Retainer check. Every Request top-up gets a letter.
Before any mediation, Documents outstanding on that matter must be zero or explained.
Who owns what
Care with this data
Children appear only as a count on the matter. Safety details live in the client's private page, not in shared notes. Never put the other party's address in a field the client can see.
| Matter | Stage | Client | Matter type | Lead attorney | Opposing party | Opposing counsel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delgado dissolution with two children | Disclosure | Marisol Delgado | Renata Calloway | Ramon Delgado | Fairweather Stone LLP | |
| Brennan parenting time after relocation | Mediation | Patrick Brennan | Malcolm Pierce | Siobhan Brennan | Self-represented | |
| Achebe divorce, family business at issue | Trial prep | Ngozi Achebe | Renata Calloway | Chidi Achebe | Lomax and Pryor |
| Matter | Stage | Client | Matter type | Lead attorney | Opposing party | Opposing counsel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delgado dissolution with two children | Disclosure | Marisol Delgado | Renata Calloway | Ramon Delgado | Fairweather Stone LLP | |
| Brennan parenting time after relocation | Mediation | Patrick Brennan | Malcolm Pierce | Siobhan Brennan | Self-represented | |
| Achebe divorce, family business at issue | Trial prep | Ngozi Achebe | Renata Calloway | Chidi Achebe | Lomax and Pryor |
| Disclosure item | Status | Matter | Whose | Category | Value (USD) | Due |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three years of joint tax returns | Served | Delgado dissolution with two children | $0 | Sep 30, 2026 | ||
| Marital home appraisal | Reviewed | Delgado dissolution with two children | $485,000 | Oct 15, 2026 | ||
| Mortgage statement | Received | Delgado dissolution with two children | $212,400 | Oct 15, 2026 |
| Court date or deadline | Status | Matter | Kind | Date | Done on | How the date was counted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary orders hearing | Prepared | Delgado dissolution with two children | Oct 23, 2:00 PM | — | Set by the court at the status conference. | |
| Sworn inventory and appraisement due | Calendared | Delgado dissolution with two children | Oct 20, 10:00 PM | — | Per the standing order, 30 days after the answer. | |
| Half-day mediation | Calendared | Brennan parenting time after relocation | Oct 21, 6:00 PM | — | Agreed with the other side by email. |
| Matter | Stage | Client | Matter type | Lead attorney | Opposing party | Opposing counsel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delgado dissolution with two children | Disclosure | Marisol Delgado | Renata Calloway | Ramon Delgado | Fairweather Stone LLP | |
| Brennan parenting time after relocation | Mediation | Patrick Brennan | Malcolm Pierce | Siobhan Brennan | Self-represented | |
| Achebe divorce, family business at issue | Trial prep | Ngozi Achebe | Renata Calloway | Chidi Achebe | Lomax and Pryor |
| Disclosure item | Status | Matter | Whose | Category | Value (USD) | Due |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three years of joint tax returns | Served | Delgado dissolution with two children | $0 | Sep 30, 2026 | ||
| Marital home appraisal | Reviewed | Delgado dissolution with two children | $485,000 | Oct 15, 2026 | ||
| Mortgage statement | Received | Delgado dissolution with two children | $212,400 | Oct 15, 2026 |
Court dates and deadlines ahead
| Court date or deadline | Status | Matter | Kind | Date | Done on | How the date was counted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary orders hearing | Prepared | Delgado dissolution with two children | Oct 23, 2:00 PM | — | Set by the court at the status conference. | |
| Sworn inventory and appraisement due | Calendared | Delgado dissolution with two children | Oct 20, 10:00 PM | — | Per the standing order, 30 days after the answer. | |
| Half-day mediation | Calendared | Brennan parenting time after relocation | Oct 21, 6:00 PM | — | Agreed with the other side by email. |
Documents still owed
| Disclosure item | Status | Matter | Whose | Category | Value (USD) | Due |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three years of joint tax returns | Served | Delgado dissolution with two children | $0 | Sep 30, 2026 | ||
| Marital home appraisal | Reviewed | Delgado dissolution with two children | $485,000 | Oct 15, 2026 | ||
| Mortgage statement | Received | Delgado dissolution with two children | $212,400 | Oct 15, 2026 |
Matters in disclosure or mediation
| Matter | Stage | Client | Matter type | Lead attorney | Opposing party | Opposing counsel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delgado dissolution with two children | Disclosure | Marisol Delgado | Renata Calloway | Ramon Delgado | Fairweather Stone LLP | |
| Brennan parenting time after relocation | Mediation | Patrick Brennan | Malcolm Pierce | Siobhan Brennan | Self-represented | |
| Achebe divorce, family business at issue | Trial prep | Ngozi Achebe | Renata Calloway | Chidi Achebe | Lomax and Pryor |
How to read the numbers
Most divorces settle on the numbers. Disclosure is where the numbers come from, and a missing statement is the usual reason a mediation day is wasted. This page is the routine the firm uses on every divorce and support matter.
Day one list
When a matter moves to Disclosure, add these from the matter with Request a document:
Working the list
Set a due date on every request. Our client's documents are due in 21 days.
Other party's documents follow the rules or the standing order; write the deadline and how it was counted.
On arrival, check every page is there, then mark Received. After the attorney reviews it, enter its value and mark Reviewed.
Ours to produce: press Mark served when it goes to the other side.
Past due without a word: move to Missing and send the deficiency letter.
Reading the estate
The matter adds Assets disclosed and Debts disclosed into Net marital estate. It is only as good as the values entered. A retirement account still at zero means it has not been valued, not that it is empty.
Before mediation checklist
Documents outstanding is zero, or each missing item has a letter on file
Net marital estate reviewed with the client
Child support worked out on current income
Client's own list of the items they care most about
Family matters are long and unpredictable, so most hourly clients here sign an evergreen retainer: a deposit held in trust that is topped back up whenever it falls below an agreed floor. This page is how the firm keeps it fair to the client and safe for the firm.
How it works
The engagement letter names the deposit and the floor, for example a 7,500 deposit and a 5,000 floor.
Invoices are paid from trust only after the client has had the invoice for the agreed number of days.
When In trust now falls below Retainer floor, Retainer check says Request top-up.
Flat fee and limited scope matters say Not on retainer and are billed by their own letter.
Friday routine
Open Matters and the All matters view. Sort by Retainer check.
For each Request top-up, send the replenishment letter: the current balance, the floor, the amount needed and the date it is needed by.
Record the request date in the matter's page.
If a top-up is two weeks late and a hearing is close, the attorney calls the client before any more work is done.
Unbilled hours above 10 on a matter means invoices are due this week.
Words that help
"Your trust account is below the amount we agreed to keep on hand. A deposit of 2,100 by the 15th keeps your case moving without a pause before the mediation."
Plain numbers, a date, and the reason. Never surprise a client with a withdrawal.
Rules we never bend
Client money stays in trust until it is earned and invoiced.
One client's trust never pays another client's bill.
At close, any unused balance is refunded within 30 days, and the matter is closed with Close matter so the closing date is stamped.
Worked example
The Brennan matter has 1,900 in trust and a 3,500 floor before a half-day mediation. Billing sends the letter on Friday asking for 3,000; the client pays Tuesday, the balance is updated, and Retainer check returns to OK.
What's inside
5 tables · 19 views · 1 form · 5 row actions · 1 agent5 pages
- Family Law Practice Desk
- Start here: how this workspace runs
- Dashboard
- Running financial disclosure
- Evergreen retainers and trust
4 tables
- Matters3 views · 9 sample rows
- Clients2 views · 9 sample rows
- Court dates and deadlines7 views · 10 sample rows
- Financial disclosures7 views · 12 sample rows
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