A Thoughtful, Strategic Approach to Family Transitions

Work With Joerika

Divorce and family law matters are not merely legal events—they are life transitions that affect finances, parenting, and long-term stability. At Joerika Stitt Esquire, LLC, led by Attorney Joerika Stitt, our focus is helping clients move through these transitions with clarity, dignity, and informed strategy.

Attorney Stitt brings a rare combination of legal experience and social work training, allowing her to address both the legal framework and the human realities that shape family conflict. This dual perspective informs every case, whether the path forward involves cooperation or court intervention.

Our Services

Divorce and family law matters involve both legal rights and lasting personal consequences. Our firm approaches these cases with a resolution-first philosophy—prioritizing solutions that reduce conflict, protect resources, and support long-term stability for families.

At the same time, we recognize that not all matters can be resolved cooperatively. When court involvement becomes necessary, we provide focused, strategic representation to protect our clients’ interests and safety.

This dual approach allows us to meet clients where they are—whether the goal is a peaceful resolution or decisive court advocacy.

  • A structured, neutral process for reaching agreements without litigation.

    Mediation is often the most efficient path to resolution. Whether Attorney Stitt serves as your neutral mediator or as your consulting attorney during the process, our goal is to facilitate a "peaceful exit."

    Unlike a judge, a mediator does not take sides. Instead, we use a human-centered approach to bridge the gap between opposing positions. This is particularly effective for:

    • Parenting Agreement Stability: Statistics show that parents are more likely to follow a plan they helped create than one forced upon them by a court.

    • Cost Efficiency: Mediation typically resolves issues in a fraction of the time required for traditional litigation.

    • Reducing Trauma: We minimize the emotional toll on children by de-escalating the conflict between parents.

    Common issues addressed in mediation:

    • Property and debt division

    • Child-related decision-making and parenting time

    • Child support and spousal maintenance

    • Settlement terms tailored to your family’s needs

    Best suited for:
    Couples who want control over outcomes and are willing to participate in good-faith negotiations.

    Pricing:

    • $250 per hour

    • $475 administrative fee to begin
      (Includes case review and pre-mediation communication with both parties)

  • Team-based legal representation without courtroom litigation.

    For many high-net-worth individuals and families, the public nature of a courtroom is a liability. Collaborative Divorce is a structured, voluntary process that allows you to resolve your marriage in a private, professional setting.

    By choosing the collaborative path at Joerika Stitt Esquire, LLC, you are opting for a "no-court" agreement. Both parties and their attorneys commit in writing to reaching a settlement without litigation. This process is ideal for those who value:

    • Confidentiality: Keep your financial and personal business out of public court records.

    • Customization: Create parenting plans and property divisions that work for your specific lifestyle, rather than letting a judge decide based on a rigid legal formula.

    • The Clinical Edge: Attorney Stitt’s social work experience is vital here. She helps identify common emotional roadblocks early, ensuring the process stays productive and focused on the future.

    • Why clients choose collaborative divorce:

      • More legal support than mediation

      • Privacy and discretion; Structured problem-solving for complex issues

      • Reduced emotional and financial strain compared to litigation.

    Best suited for:
    Couples with complex finances or parenting concerns who want legal advocacy without adversarial court proceedings.

    Pricing:

    • Initial fees start at $3,500

  • Efficient legal resolution when agreements are already in place.

    If you and your spouse have reached an agreement on all terms—including assets, debts, and parenting—an uncontested divorce is the most streamlined way to move forward. However, "uncontested" does not mean "unprotected."

    We provide the professional oversight to ensure:

    • Your final Decree is legally sound and enforceable.

    • All financial disclosures are handled correctly to prevent future legal challenges.

    • Your paperwork is navigated through the court system swiftly and without error.

    Best suited for: Couples with full agreement and financial transparency.

    Pricing:

    • $2,500 + court fees (no minor children)

    • $3,500 + court fees (with minor children)

  • Strategic Advocacy for High-Conflict Family Matters.

    While we prioritize mediation and collaborative solutions, we recognize that some family law matters cannot—and should not—be settled through collaborative processes. When there is a significant power imbalance, a lack of financial transparency, or a risk to personal safety, litigation becomes a necessary tool for justice.

    At Joerika Stitt Esquire, LLC, we don't just "go to court." We enter the courtroom with a strategic objective.

    Leveraging Attorney Joerika Stitt’s dual background in Social Work and Litigation, we identify the psychological drivers of conflict to build cases that are as legally sound as they are strategically focused.

    When Litigation is the Right Path

    Litigation is a deliberate choice made when negotiation is no longer effective. We provide fearless representation in:

    • High-Conflict Divorce: Navigating cases involving complex asset division, hidden income, or non-cooperative spouses.

    • Contested Custody & Parenting Disputes: Protecting the best interests of children when parents cannot agree on placement or decision-making.

    • Orders of Protection: Taking immediate action to secure the safety of you and your children in cases of domestic volatility.

    • Enforcement & Contempt: Holding the other party accountable when they refuse to follow existing court orders.

    • Post-Decree Modifications: Returning to court when a significant change in life circumstances requires a legal adjustment to support or parenting time.

    • Emergency Filings: Moving swiftly when time-sensitive intervention is required to protect assets or family members.

    Investment in Your Case

    Because contested family law cases vary significantly in scope, complexity, and the level of court involvement required, our services are tailored to the specific demands of your situation.

    • Initial Fees to Begin Representation: Starting at $3,500

      • This initial fee is required to formally retain the firm and begin the strategic work on your case. Total costs will vary based on the complexity of the issues, discovery requirements, and the level of conflict involved. We are unable to provide exact timelines for completion of contested matters.

Understanding Your Options: In Plain English

The Peace-Building Paths: Mediation & Collaborative Divorce

If you and your spouse are looking for a way out that doesn't involve a public courtroom battle, these are your best tools.

  • Mediation: Think of this as "neutral ground." I help you both talk through the hard stuff—money, kids, the house—to find a middle path. The Limit: It only works if both people are willing to be honest. It’s not for cases where there is abuse or hidden assets.

  • Collaborative Divorce: This is a "no-court" promise. We put a team together to solve the puzzle of your divorce privately. It gives you the most control over your future. The Limit: If the process breaks down and you decide to sue, the whole team (including me) has to step away. This keeps everyone focused on settling, not fighting.

The Protective Path: Contested Litigation

Sometimes, peace isn't an option. If your spouse won't be honest, won't negotiate, or is putting your children at risk, we go to court.

  • Litigation is our tool for justice. It’s for the high-conflict cases, the emergency filings, and the moments where you need a judge to step in and set things right. I don't go to court to "grandstand"—I go to court with a clear, factual objective to protect your rights.

Understanding Your Options: In Plain English

The Peace-Building Paths: Mediation & Collaborative Divorce

If you and your spouse are looking for a way out that doesn't involve a public courtroom battle, these are your best tools.

  • Mediation: Think of this as "neutral ground." I help you both talk through the hard stuff—money, kids, the house—to find a middle path. The Limit: It only works if both people are willing to be honest. It’s not for cases where there is abuse or hidden assets.

  • Collaborative Divorce: This is a "no-court" promise. We put a team together to solve the puzzle of your divorce privately. It gives you the most control over your future. The Limit: If the process breaks down and you decide to sue, the whole team (including me) has to step away. This keeps everyone focused on settling, not fighting.

The Protective Path: Contested Litigation

Sometimes, peace isn't an option. If your spouse won't be honest, won't negotiate, or is putting your children at risk, we go to court.

  • Litigation is our tool for justice. It’s for the high-conflict cases, the emergency filings, and the moments where you need a judge to step in and set things right. I don't go to court to "grandstand"—I go to court with a clear, factual objective to protect your rights.

Working with Attorney Stitt

Most lawyers are trained to see a case as a set of statutes and deadlines. But I know that behind every case file is a person trying to keep their world from falling apart.

Before I earned my law degree, my foundation was in Social Work. That experience didn't just teach me how to listen—it taught me how to read people and understand the hidden dynamics that drive conflict. When we work together, I’m not just looking at your bank statements or parenting schedules; I’m looking at the patterns, the personalities, and the "why" behind the fight.

Advocacy Grounded in Reality

I don’t believe in "scorched earth" tactics just for the sake of a fight, but I also don't believe in backing down when your future is on the line. My strategy is simple: We lead with the facts and we anchor ourselves in the law.

I weave the human story of your case together with the hard evidence needed to win. This means:

  • I see the traps before they’re set. My clinical background helps me anticipate "high-conflict" behavior so we can stay two steps ahead.

  • I bridge the gap. I know how to talk to judges, GALs, and opposing counsel in a way that keeps the focus where it belongs: on the resolution.

  • I tell it to you straight. You’ll get the truth from me, even when it’s hard to hear, so you can make the best decisions for your life.

Work With Attorney Stitt

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The "right" path is determined by the specific facts of your life. We have designed this website to serve as your first step in that discovery.

    • Mediation/Collaborative: These paths are best if both parties are willing to be transparent and can sit at a table together to solve problems.

    • Litigation: This is the necessary choice if there is a history of imbalance, a lack of financial honesty, or a need for the court to step in and set boundaries. Review the descriptions on our service pages to see which "fact pattern" most closely matches your own.

  • To protect your investment and ensure your case is handled with the highest level of precision, we use a tiered approach. Our Intake Team is trained to gather the essential "ground truths" and financial data of your case first. This ensures that when you do move forward to your strategy session with Ms. Stitt, she already has the facts in hand and can spend 100% of your time on high-level legal advocacy rather than basic data collection.

  • This is exactly why our intake process is so thorough. While you might want mediation, our team is trained to identify red flags—like hidden assets or power imbalances—that might make mediation a risk to your future. We will use the information you provide during intake to guide you toward the path that offers the most legal and personal protection.

  • Our initial fees (starting at $3,500 for contested matters) are the investment required to formally retain the firm and begin the strategic work on your case. Once the intake team has verified the facts of your situation and you have paid the initial fees, Attorney Stitt begins the deep-dive legal work.

  • Absolutely. Families are dynamic, and sometimes the facts change. You may start in mediation only to find the other party refuses to be honest. Because Attorney Stitt is a litigator as well as a mediator, she can pivot your strategy. We move from negotiation to litigation the moment the facts show that a "peaceful" path is no longer serving your best interests.

  • The more facts you have, the better we can serve you. Before your call, try to have a general timeline of events, a basic list of your assets and debts, and a clear idea of your primary goal (e.g., "I need a stable parenting schedule" or "I need to ensure my business is protected"). This allows our team to categorize your case accurately from day one.