About the Office

The Law Office of Christine Nguyen Thomas is a Family Law Office dedicated to excellence in legal counsel and committed to providing affordable legal services to self-represented litigants.

The Law Office of Christine Nguyen Thomas serves the cities of Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo, Ojai, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Moorpark, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, and surrounding areas in Ventura County, California.

Attorney Profile

CHRISTINE NGUYEN THOMAS
Attorney at Law

Ms. Thomas is a Family Law Attorney with 14 years’ experience in Family Law and has devoted her practice exclusively to Family Law for the past 10 years in Ventura County. Her practice is focused on divorce cases in the Ventura Superior Court.

Ms. Thomas earned her Juris Doctor from UCLA School of Law in 2003 and her B.A. in Psychology and Economics from UCSB in 2000. She was admitted to the State Bar of California in December 2003.

Ms. Thomas is a licensed and active member of the State Bar. She is also a member of the Family Law sections of the California Lawyers Association and the Ventura County Bar Association.

Family Law Practice Areas

At the Law Office of Christine Nguyen Thomas, an experienced Divorce Lawyer is available to assist you with an array of Family Law matters.

  • Divorce (Dissolution of Marriage)
  • Legal Separation
  • Child Custody
  • Parenting Plans
  • Child Support
  • Spousal Support
  • Property Division
  • Reimbursements
  • Petition & Response
  • Obtaining Initial Orders
  • Request for Order
  • Preliminary Declaration of Disclosure
  • Final Declaration of Disclosure
  • Income and Expense Declaration
  • Schedule of Assets and Debts
  • Order After Hearing
  • Stipulation and Order
  • Motions
  • Discovery
  • Modification of Custody Order
  • Modification of Support Order
  • Mandatory Settlement Conference Brief
  • Memorandum of Points and Authorities
  • Legal Briefs
  • Marital Settlement Agreement (“MSA”)
  • Judgment
  • Post-Judgment Modification

Limited Scope Representation

What is Limited Scope Representation?

Limited Scope Representation is an attorney-client relationship where the attorney and client agree that the attorney will handle only certain aspects of the client’s case and the client will be responsible for the rest of the client’s case. Unlike traditional full representation, where an attorney handles your case from start to finish, a Limited Scope Attorney handles only specific discrete tasks, allowing you to handle the rest and minimize your fees. Limited Scope Representation is also known as “unbundled legal services” or “discrete task representation.”

 

What are the Benefits of Limited Scope Representation?

Limited Scope Representation allows you to represent yourself in your divorce case while having the benefit of an experienced Family Law Attorney by your side when you need it and only for the parts of your case that you need help with.

  • You represent yourself (“Pro Per”).
  • You retain control of your case.
  • You make the decisions in your case.
  • You choose which parts of your case you will handle on your own.
  • An experienced Family Law Attorney helps you with only the parts of your case that you need help with.
  • Self-represented litigants who have the benefit of legal counsel are better informed and better prepared to present their case to the court.

 

Limited Scope Representation allows you to save money on your legal budget by handling the parts of your case that you feel comfortable with, and contacting an attorney for expert legal advice and assistance with the more complicated issues.

  • There is no large upfront retainer payment that is typical of full representation; you pay as you go with a small retainer deposit.
  • You pay a more affordable overall fee since you pay only for the legal advice and services you need.
  • Limited Scope Representation is flexible and can be tailored to meet your needs.

 

Is Limited Scope Representation right for you?

Limited Scope Representation is best suited for potential clients who are willing and capable of handling some parts of their case themselves. These are examples of situations that may be suitable for and benefit from Limited Scope services:

  • Initial consultation:  If you are considering filing for divorce or if you have just been served with divorce papers and you need to speak with an attorney to understand the paperwork and learn about your rights and next steps, then we can help. Our office offers one-time consultations if all you need is to meet with an attorney for an hour or two to have your questions answered and learn about your options on how to proceed.

 

  • Uncontested divorces (agreement has already been reached):  If you and your spouse have separated and you have already done the hard work of reaching an agreement on how you would like to share custody and divide your property, then Limited Scope Representation may be ideal for your situation. Our office can assist you with preparing the appropriate court documents to finalize your case. We can draft the Marital Settlement Agreement (“MSA”) to memorialize your agreement in writing and submit the MSA to the court for entry of judgment.

 

  • Uncontested divorces (amicable resolution on the horizon):  If you have not yet reached an agreement, but you feel confident that you and your spouse will be able to reach an amicable resolution in the near future, then Limited Scope Representation could be the right choice for you. Our office can providing ongoing consultations throughout your divorce, assist you in preparing the necessary paperwork along the way, help you negotiate a settlement of all issues in your case, and prepare a Marital Settlement Agreement for entry of judgment with the court.

 

  • Parties are attending private mediation: If you and your spouse are attending private mediation, the mediator is acting in a neutral capacity and does not represent either of you. However, you are both entitled to have independent legal counsel while attending mediation. Limited Scope Representation can be of benefit to you while you attend mediation. Our office can provide ongoing consultations while you attend mediation with your spouse, and we can also assist you with reviewing any documents prepared by the mediator.

 

  • Contested temporary orders (drafting Request for Order):  If you need temporary orders (such as temporary custody orders and support orders) before your case is finalized, but you have not been able to reach an agreement with your spouse on these interim matters, then you will need to file a Request for Order with the court to obtain the needed orders. Our office can help you prepare the required paperwork to file your Request for Order and you would make the court appearance on your own.

 

  • Document review:  If you and your spouse have a draft Marital Settlement Agreement prepared, you may need an attorney to review the document. The MSA may have been prepared by you and/or your spouse; the MSA may have been prepared by your spouse’s attorney; or the MSA may have been prepared by a private mediator. In any of those scenarios, you would benefit from having an attorney review the MSA. Our office can meet with you to review the agreement before you finalize the document and sign.

 

Not all Family Law cases are well suited for Limited Scope Representation, including cases that involve extremely technical matters or cases that involve issues that rely on a complex analysis of the law. There could be other reasons why a case is not appropriate for Limited Scope Representation. Every case, whether complex or seemingly straightforward, is unique and requires an evaluation by an attorney to determine the appropriate type of representation. Contact the Law Office of Christine Nguyen Thomas for an initial consultation to learn more about your options so that you can make the best choice for you and your family.

Limited Scope Services*

  • Initial consultation
  • Ongoing consultations
  • Filing for divorce / responding to divorce
  • Representation for uncontested divorces
  • Consultations while you attend private mediation
  • Requesting court orders
  • Negotiating settlements
  • Review of court documents
  • Drafting of court documents
  • Legal advice
  • Legal information & education
  • Legal strategy
  • Legal coaching

*Ms. Thomas does not enter the case as your attorney of record and she does not offer court appearances.

Contact

Contact the Law Office of Christine Nguyen Thomas for a consultation with an experienced Ventura County Family Law Attorney to evaluate your case and see if Limited Scope Representation is right for you and your Family Law matter.

The office is centrally located mid-county in Oxnard, in the National University building, across from The Collection shopping center, off the 101 freeway at Oxnard Blvd.

Phone (805) 351-8866
Fax (805) 351-8289

1000 Town Center Drive, Suite 300
Oxnard, California 93036

Driving Directions

Exit the 101 Freeway at Oxnard Blvd.
Head north toward the National University building.
Turn left on Town Center Drive.
Turn right into the parking lot at the first driveway on your right.
The office is located on the third floor.