“I came in sure I'd lose time with my daughter. Nia walked me through the parenting plan line by line, and we ended up with a schedule her dad and I can both live with.”
Erin M.Custody and parenting plan
Family law in Madison
You don't need every answer before you call
I'm Nia Hollis, a family lawyer and a Madison parent. I help with divorce, custody, child support, adoption and protective orders, and I start by listening.
What's on your mind
What happens to my kids, my house, my money?
These are the questions people ask in the first five minutes. Each one has an answer, and none of them has to be solved tonight.
What happens to my kids?
Where they sleep, who drives to school, how holidays work. We build a parenting plan around their weeks, so they know what comes next.
Custody and parenting timeDo I have to leave the house?
Not on the day you file. We look at who owns what and what you can afford before anyone packs a box.
Divorce and the homeHow will the bills get paid?
Child support and spousal support follow set rules and your real numbers. You'll see an estimate early, not at the end.
Child and spousal supportCan we do this without a fight?
Many families settle. Mediation and plain negotiation keep the decisions with you; court is there if it's needed.
MediationAm I safe right now?
If someone at home frightens you, you can ask a court for a protective order. If you're in danger now, call 911.
Protective ordersCan my partner adopt my child?
A stepparent or relative adoption makes a family that already exists official. I handle the consents, the papers and the hearing.
Adoption
Straight answers
What people ask before they call
Will my spouse find out I talked to a lawyer?
Not from me. I keep what you tell me in a consultation confidential, even if we don't end up working together. If you share a phone or an email account, tell me the safest way to reach you.
Do I have to go to court?
Often not, or not much. Many divorces and custody cases end with an agreement a judge signs. If yours needs a hearing, I'll prepare you for it and stand beside you.
How much will this cost?
It depends on how much you and the other side can agree on. After our first meeting you'll get a written estimate and a retainer amount, then an itemized bill every month.
What should I do first?
Keep copies of recent tax returns, pay stubs and account statements somewhere safe, and write down what your children's weeks look like. Don't move money or move out before we've talked.
Meet Nia
A lawyer who's also a parent on the school run
I want the first call to feel like talking to a friend who happens to know family law. I meet people in a small office on Monroe Street, or on video after the kids are in bed, and I explain what the law allows and what it's likely to cost before you decide anything.
I work on my own, so the person you meet is the person who answers your email and sits beside you at the courthouse.
An office on Monroe Street
Evening video calls
A written estimate before work starts
One lawyer from start to finish
Nia Hollis
Family lawyer
In their words
What it felt like to work together
“She answered my emails at the end of the day, in words I understood. I always knew what was happening and what it would cost.”
Marcus T.Divorce
“We wanted my husband to be our son's legal father. Nia made the paperwork painless, and we brought cupcakes to the hearing.”
Jess R.Stepparent adoption
Each family's case is different. These words don't promise a similar outcome in yours.
Start with one conversation
Tell me what's going on in a short first call. You'll leave knowing your options and the next step, whatever you decide.
Please don't send private details through the website. We'll talk them through on the call.