Melissa Cates, Attorney at Law

A full-service practice
responding to the needs of
the community
3002 S Jefferson St (By Appt. Only)
St Louis, MO 63118
Ph: (314) 881-1489  Fax: (314) 334-0946
Welcome to CatesLaw Online.  

This practice is proud to offer legal representation that is:
-  Aggressive
-  Quality-Driven
-  Affordable
-  Client-Centered
This website is informational only and does not constitute legal advise nor
does it form an attorney-client relationship.  Additionally, the choice of an
attorney is an important one and should not be based solely upon an
advertisement.
Practice Areas Include:

-  Dissolution of Divorce
-  Paternity Actions
-  Modifications of Custody or Support
-  Small Claims
-  Consumer Law Litigation
- Criminal Defense
Benefits Include:

  • Both traditional billing and alternative
    billing are available
  • You will receive personalized service.  
    All interactions will be with your
    attorney, not an assistant or paralegal

Frequently Asked Questions

**FAQ's do not constitute legal advice, nor do they form
an Attorney-Client Relationship**

What is Traditional Billing?
  • In Civil Cases (i.e. non-criminal), Attorneys frequently invoice by the "billable hour".  An
    hour is divided into 6 minute increments.  A client is given a billable hour rate up front and
    the Attorney invoices based upon the amount of time spent on a case, as calculated in six
    minute increments.

What is Alternative Billing?
  • Some clients prefer to pay a flat sum of money up front, to cover the entire expense of the
    action.  This cuts down on the uncertainty he or she may feel about how much the
    representation will end up costing.

Is Alternative Billing Cheaper than Traditional Billing?
  • Not always.  It will depend upon how much time is actually spent on your case with
    investigation, phone calls, pretrial motions, court appearances, and potential trial or
    hearings.  

What should I do if I get "served with papers"?
  • You should contact an Attorney right away.  If you have been served with a Petition on a
    civil action, you and your Attorney have a certain amount of time to respond.  If you do not
    respond within that time period, you may have a "Default Judgment" entered against you.  
    In other words, if you fail to timely defend the action, the Court may automatically grant the
    request for relief without a trial or hearing.

What happens in a divorce proceeding?
  • In basics, one party will file a Petition.  The other party will Answer that Petition, denying or
    admitting the allegations.  There will be a Pretrial Conference scheduled for the Attorneys
    on each side to meet with each other and the Judge to discuss discovery as well as
    possible settlement options.  If the parties are unable to work it out, the Judge will set the
    case for a trial.  Divorce trials are generally heard by the judge, not a jury, and typically last
    1-2 days.