Advice you can trust
Canon law — the internal law of the Catholic Church — is a distinct science all its own. It is the oldest system of law in continuous use, and operates in many ways very differently from how you might expect.
If you find yourself confronted with a canon law question or problem, don’t guess, and don’t just give up! Ask for help.
Whether you are a party in a contentious case before a Catholic Tribunal, a Catholic parishioner wondering about your rights, or even a novelist wanting to get a detail just right in your latest work, I am ready to offer my expertise to assist you. If you are in need of canonical advice, please contact me. I will be happy to help, or to direct you to someone who can if your case requires it.
Advocacy Services
Marriage Nullity
Marriage nullity cases (commonly called “annulments”) involve deeply-personal aspects of both spouses’ lives. Whether as the petitioning Party or the one responding, such processes are too-often confusing and painful for those involved in them, and it can sometimes be too easy to feel lost in the shuffle of proceedings that remain mysterious and unseen. An advocate can help bridge that gap in the procedures, explaining what has happened, what is happening, and what will happen next, while ensuring that the client’s perspective is fully represented to the tribunal, and that their rights are respected every step of the way.
Recourse
Those who find themselves aggrieved by the decision of someone in the hierarchy of the Church may have rights that can be vindicated through hierarchical recourse. Time is of the essence in such matters, so having a competent advocate to calculate the strict deadlines and assist in crafting correspondence and official filings is essential.
Penal Processes
Those accused of canonical crimes (delicts) or other misconduct in the Church still have rights, especially to due process. Qualified advocacy helps ensure that those rights are protected and that the process is kept rightly focused on truth and justice.
Consulting and Presentations
There is more to canon law services than advocacy. Sometimes, you might just need a question answered—simple or complex.
I am available to do the needed research and present you with a written canonical opinion of whatever length and formality your question may require.
I am also available for talks and presentations on canon law topics.
Pricing
Canonical Advocacy
Initial consultation: always free — Whether by telephone or video call, let’s visit and get to know each other a little. Tell me your story, and we can discuss in general what the situation is, and the kind of help you may need to defend your rights, pursue your interests, or accomplish your goals. At the end, I will always offer an an honest assessment, a recommendation of what steps you should take, and —if I believe I can be of help to you—I will outline what that help would look like. After that, the decision is yours if you wish to work with me further.
Flat-Rate Retainer: $150.00 USD — Establishes the advocate-client relationship and gets the work started. This covers my full initial review of all extant documents and facts, preparation of any initial mandates and correspondence, as well as office costs and initial case management setup.
Client work: $47.00 USD per billable hour — I keep careful and conservative track of the time I spend working on each client’s case. I believe my rate to be fair and reasonable, striking a balance between the value of the care and expertise I bring and my desire to make sure my services are available to those who need them.
Other Canonical Services
Please contact me for a custom quote.