“My ex moved to Moorhead and I stayed in Fargo. I was sure that meant two lawyers and twice the bill. Anders handled both ends and the plan was signed by spring.”
Kyle R.Parenting plan
Fargo and Moorhead family law
Start with where things stand
Divorce, custody, support and protective orders, for families on either side of the river. Pick the line closest to your week and we’ll take it from there.
- We’ve decided to separateWhat happens to the house, the debts and the accounts
- We can’t agree on the kids’ scheduleParenting time, holidays and moves across the river
- Support isn’t paid, or no longer fitsSetting, changing and collecting child support
- I don’t feel safe at homeProtective orders, and what to bring to the hearing
- I was just served with papersWhat the deadline means and what we do first
What we handle
Four kinds of family cases, and nothing else
We don’t take criminal, injury or business work. Family law is all three of us do, in both counties’ courts.
Divorce
Dividing a house, a farm share, retirement accounts and the debts that came with them, with a written budget for the year after.
About divorceCustody and parenting time
A parenting plan that names the school nights, the holidays and the drive across the bridge, and changes when the kids get older.
About custodyChild support
Support figured from real pay stubs, overtime and seasonal work included, and changed when a job or a schedule does.
About child supportProtective orders
Asking for an order, or answering one, with a lawyer beside you at the hearing and a plan for getting in and out safely.
About protective orders
Two offices, one firm
Across the bridge, same lawyer
A lot of our families live in two states. One parent rents in Moorhead, the other kept the house in West Fargo; the kids’ school is on one side and the grandparents are on the other.
All three of us are admitted in North Dakota and Minnesota, so a move across the river doesn’t mean starting over with someone new. Meet us at whichever office is closer to work, or by video at the end of your shift.
Fargo office on Broadway, Moorhead office on Center Avenue
Evening meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays
Video meetings for parents who work out of town
The firm in brief
Dahlberg Haugen at a glance
- Founded
- 2014, in Moorhead
- Every lawyer admitted in
- North DakotaMinnesota
- Courts we’re in most weeks
- Cass County District CourtFargoClay County District CourtMoorhead
- Offices
- Fargo118 Broadway NorthMoorhead520 Center Avenue
- Languages
- EnglishSomali
- First meeting
- One hour, at either office or by video
From clients
What parents told us afterward
“Hana gave me a one-page list of what to gather and a budget for after. It was the first night in months I slept.”
Danielle S.Divorce
“Ifrah met me at the courthouse door and walked me to a side room so I never had to sit near him. She explained every step in Somali to my mother.”
Sahra A.Protective order
Sample comments to replace with your clients’ own. Every family’s case is different, and these don’t promise a similar result in yours.
Before you call
Questions parents ask in the first five minutes
My ex lives on the other side of the river. Which court handles our case?
Usually the court where the children have been living, but a recent move, an old order or an emergency can change that. Sorting it out is one of the first things we do, and because we practice in both states, we can file wherever it belongs.
I was served with papers. How long do I have?
Not long: the deadline to respond is printed on the papers and is often a matter of weeks. Call either office with them in front of you and we’ll tell you the date that matters.
Will we have to go to court?
Most of our cases settle through talks or mediation, with a judge signing the agreement. We still prepare every case as if it might be heard, so you aren’t caught short if it is.
What does the first meeting cost?
The first meeting has one flat fee, which we tell you when you book. Afterward you get a written estimate of the next steps before you decide anything.
Can I meet after work, or by video?
Yes. Both offices stay open until 7pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and any meeting can be by video if you work out of town or can’t leave the kids.
Two numbers, one firm
Call the office on your side of the river
Tell whoever answers a little about your situation and the safest way to reach you. A lawyer calls back the same working day.
Not sure which office? Either one can help.