Wave Listens - Family Law Fridays June 17, 2022
John Schmidt – June 17, 2022
JOHN RAMSEY: It is Family Law Friday, and I’m lucky to have my friend, Attorney John Schmidt, with us. And what we get to do here, and I appreciate you for allowing us to do this, is really to get to understand what you do a little bit better, John, because you allow us to meet your clients.
JOHN SCHMIDT: Yeah.
JOHN RAMSEY: And — and thus is the case today. Before we get to Jessica and her story, if you would tell us a little bit about — about your practice.
JOHN SCHMIDT: Sure.
JOHN RAMSEY: I know you specialize in Family Law, but you do other things as well.
JOHN SCHMIDT: I do, yeah. So, you know, we do divorce, custody, adoptions, CPS cases, criminal defense, and some personal injury. So yeah, we do quite a variety of things based out of Shepherdsville.
JOHN RAMSEY: We — we were able to meet a client of yours last week.
JOHN SCHMIDT: Yeah.
JOHN RAMSEY: And this week, we meet Jessica. Jessica Payne joins us now. Jessica, welcome to the show. Thanks for coming in.
JESSICA PAYNE: Thanks for having me.
JOHN RAMSEY: Okay. So let’s start from the beginning. What was the reason that you decided to re – – decided to reach out to John Schmidt?
JESSICA PAYNE: Well, I’ve been going through a custody battle for about three-and-a-half years now. The first year-and-a-half, I wasn’t really getting results that I was wanting. I didn’t really have lawyers that were standing up for me like I thought they should. So I did some asking around town. A lot of people referred John. They also said that he has helped him out tremendously. I went on and went on to Google. I did some research on him. And so I set up a consult with him. And once I met him, I knew right then and there that he could handle the kind of case that I had.
JOHN RAMSEY: Wow. I —
JESSICA PAYNE: Yeah.
JOHN RAMSEY: I love that. Smart person here, okay? Because I think — you know, don’t get me wrong, I love you coming on this show and I think it is good marketing.
JOHN SCHMIDT: Sure.
JOHN RAMSEY: With that being said, there’s nothing like word of mouth and people believing in John Schmidt and what he can do for them. So you also Googled, found out a lot of positive things.
JESSICA PAYNE: Yeah.
JOHN RAMSEY: So let’s talk about your personal experience. Did John come through with what you needed, Jessica?
JESSICA PAYNE: Yes.
JOHN RAMSEY: Yes.
JESSICA PAYNE: Yes, he has. Like I said, in the beginning of this, with other attorneys, I really — I didn’t have no hope. I had no light at the end of the tunnel for me. There was a lot that, you know — I needed a lot of reassurance. And John’s been there, I mean, constantly. Every time I need him, he has answered the phone for me, my family members. He’s — after hours. Even when he is on vacation, I’ve talked to him. I think I talked to him more on — while he’s outside of business hours than I do when he’s at work.
JOHN RAMSEY: See, now that — that means a lot to me because —
JESSICA PAYNE: It does.
JOHN RAMSEY: — when it’s a custody battle, this is something very near and dear to your heart.
JESSICA PAYNE: Yes.
JOHN RAMSEY: This isn’t just like you’ve got overcharged with some car repair or something.
JESSICA PAYNE: Right.
JOHN RAMSEY: This is something that’s very important to you. And you’re saying, when I need you, I need you. And John, even on vacation, you’re willing to step up. This is something that you believe in too, John. You saw Jessica’s case. And I think you saw — thought okay, she’s in the right here. I can help her. But part of that, too, is compassion and empathy. You had that for her.
JOHN SCHMIDT: Yeah. She’s — she’s had a really rough road to hoe. And so we’ve — I think we’ve been able to help the court understand the facts and — and what’s really going on because there’s a lot of complexities to what’s going on. And so, you know, it takes time. Things don’t happen just —
JOHN RAMSEY: Right.
JOHN SCHMIDT: — immediately, right? It takes time. But we’ve been in it together.
JESSICA PAYNE: Yeah.
JOHN SCHMIDT: And, you know, her husband and her father and her mother have all been —
JESSICA PAYNE: Uh-huh.
JOHN SCHMIDT: — part of the support structure and asking questions. And so, all things considered, I mean, it — it’s been a — it’s been a good working relationship —
JESSICA PAYNE: Yeah.
JOHN SCHMIDT: — and it’s been good to help. She has a son that’s just the cutest thing in the world. I wish he was here, really.
JESSICA PAYNE: Yeah.
JOHN SCHMIDT: He’s the cutest thing in the world, and all the ladies love him. He’s a real charmer. He comes in, he’s just as sweet and as cute as can be.
JOHN RAMSEY: And he loves his mom, and he wants to be with his mama.
JOHN SCHMIDT: Oh, yeah. He loves his mama.
JOHN RAMSEY: Yeah.
JOHN SCHMIDT: So yeah.
JOHN RAMSEY: That’s what I want to hear.
JOHN SCHMIDT: Yeah.
JOHN RAMSEY: You told me early in this process when you and I first started getting to know each other, John, you said, “I’m about healthy solutions.”
JOHN SCHMIDT: Yeah.
JESSICA PAYNE: Yeah.
JOHN RAMSEY: That’s what it’s all about. So do you find that that’s coming to fruition here with Jessica, in her case?
JESSICA PAYNE: Yes.
JOHN SCHMIDT: Do you want to —
JOHN RAMSEY: Yeah, yeah.
JESSICA PAYNE: Yeah.
JOHN RAMSEY: You can answer. Yes.
JESSICA PAYNE: Yes. He — he’s been very compassionate. He — you know, he’s taken this case, I think, to me, very personally. He has taken it as, like, if his family was going through this, as if he was going through this. And that’s what I needed. I needed a dedicated lawyer who was going to take this case very personally. He has been — he’s been amazing.
JOHN RAMSEY: Yeah. John —
JESSICA PAYNE: I mean, he’s — he’s doing — he’s making it —
JOHN RAMSEY: I love that. I –JESSICA PAYNE: — he’s making it happen.
JOHN RAMSEY: I love hearing that, Jessica. Last week when we had a gentleman on, he was talking about the — I think it was a divorce case. And apparently, it was getting a little combative.
JESSICA PAYNE: Yes.
JOHN RAMSEY: And he said, “I needed someone to stand up for me. And I don’t want my” — you know, “my trash out there on the street.”
JOHN SCHMIDT: Yeah.
JOHN RAMSEY: “I needed someone to keep it discreet.”
JESSICA PAYNE: Uh-huh.
JOHN RAMSEY: Every case is different.
JOHN SCHMIDT: It is.
JOHN RAMSEY: And — and — but in many cases, when you’re talking to a client, if they’ve reached out to you, it’s because they really, really care. That’s a lot of responsibility. Do you embrace that?
JOHN SCHMIDT: I do. And it — you know, it — it’s a lot of responsibility. It —
JOHN RAMSEY: It’s hard.
JOHN SCHMIDT: — it’s a lot of — it’s — it — you know, it’s the most important things for the — for my clients.
JOHN RAMSEY: Uh-huh.
JOHN SCHMIDT: Right? And so, it means a lot to me that they trust me with being their lawyer.
JESSICA PAYNE: Uh-huh.
JOHN SCHMIDT: It means a lot to me that, you know, they want to work together to do it, but we do work together, right?
JESSICA PAYNE: Uh-huh.
JOHN SCHMIDT: I mean, I require that they come in the office and we sit down and talk because I want to understand them. And so much communication is nonverbal, and you can’t ask questions of e-mails or texts.
JOHN RAMSEY: Right.
JOHN SCHMIDT: Right. Horrible ways to communicate.
JOHN RAMSEY: Yeah.
JOHN SCHMIDT: So communication’s key.
JESSICA PAYNE: Yeah.
JOHN SCHMIDT: And I want to make sure that we’re doing what she wants to do and communicating it properly to the court because, you know, it’s — it’s not my voice. I’m trying to give her a voice and help her have a voice with the court because, you know, it’s not easy sometimes to be there.
JOHN RAMSEY: Yeah.
JOHN SCHMIDT: And she was nervous about coming on today. And I said, you know, look, it’s just a conversation with John.
JOHN RAMSEY: That’s right.
JOHN SCHMIDT: Right. And — and we can talk. And so —
JESSICA PAYNE: Yeah.
JOHN SCHMIDT: — you know, she’s here. She’s done it.
JOHN RAMSEY: Yeah. And she’s doing great. I have to tell you. So Jessica, we talked about the compassionate side, the fact that you have a lawyer who cares. I think we want that. And you said he’s willing to reach out and talk to me at any time, which is important. But let’s talk about, you know, to me, the – – the academic side of this as far as, you know, knowledge as far — litigation —
JESSICA PAYNE: Uh-huh.
JOHN RAMSEY: — and the law, and rules. Have you found that he’s very astute there and helped you in the courtroom —
JESSICA PAYNE: Yes.
JOHN RAMSEY: — that way?
JESSICA PAYNE: Yes. He knows it. He knows his practice. He knows what he is supposed to do. He knows his laws. He don’t let nobody get over on him. And if, you know, he thinks that something’s kind of going the wrong way, no, he’ll stop it. He will put his foot down right then and there. Nope. That’s not how this works. He — he’s — he knows what he’s doing.
JOHN RAMSEY: I love that. Okay. So if someone is watching now and maybe they have a — a case that may be similar to Jessica’s, or perhaps like last week, a divorce case, and they want to reach out to you, how does the process work? If, you know — does — do they call you? You set up a one-on-one? How does that all work?
JOHN SCHMIDT: Yeah.
JOHN RAMSEY: How do you get a phone call and find out if you fit for each other? How does it work, John?
JOHN SCHMIDT: That’s right. So they can — they can make, you know, an appointment online. They can go to my website, you know, johnschmidtlaw.com. They can call 502-509-1490. Patty will answer the phone and set up an appointment. But I like to have in-person appointments. I want to meet the people. I want to make sure that there’s the rapport —
JOHN RAMSEY: Yeah.
JOHN SCHMIDT: — and that it’s going to be a good fit. I don’t — I don’t want to take somebody — it’s not about the money, although I do expect to get paid.
JOHN RAMSEY: Sure.
JOHN SCHMIDT: But —
JOHN RAMSEY: Yeah. That’s part of it. That’s part of it.
JOHN SCHMIDT: — I do expect to get paid. But — but it’s about the relationship. And so if we’re a good fit and it’s going to work out and we can work together, then we set up the next appointment and — and we might even do what they need to do right then and there. But we definitely set up appointments, and we — we keep setting appointments and working together. So we don’t lose track of each other. Some clients set up fewer appointments because they can’t afford to spend the money, you know, very quickly. I let them control that because it’s their money, their budget. Sometimes relationships are getting better –JESSICA PAYNE: Uh-huh.JOHN SCHMIDT: — and, you know, when lawyers get involved, sometimes it can tank that. They can take it sideways —
JOHN RAMSEY: Uh-huh.
JOHN SCHMIDT: — and make it more contagious. So it’s a dance —
JOHN RAMSEY: Yeah.
JOHN SCHMIDT: — and we dance together. And I think we do a pretty good job, don’t we?
JESSICA PAYNE: Yeah.
JOHN RAMSEY: I — I think it sounds to me — Jessica, I’ve gathered that the dance has been worth every penny.
JESSICA PAYNE: Yeah.
JOHN RAMSEY: You know, every lawyer wants to get paid. Nothing wrong with that –JESSICA PAYNE: Yeah.JOHN RAMSEY: — as long as it’s worth it and has been worth it for you. So for someone who’s watching now, Jessica, and they’re thinking okay, I’d like to call John Schmidt, what would you tell them about John? Would you recommend they give him a call?
JESSICA PAYNE: I wouldn’t hesitate. If you have little to no hope, he — he really is an amazing lawyer. He’s an amazing guy. He’s — he really has changed a lot on my perspective of what’s been going on throughout this situation I’ve been going through. He’s amazing. And he will definitely — I guarantee you he will change your life with –JOHN RAMSEY: All right.
JESSICA PAYNE: — with everything.
JOHN RAMSEY: That’s got to feel pretty good, pretty rewarding there to hear —
JESSICA PAYNE: He’s a good guy.
JOHN RAMSEY: — that, John. Yeah. That’s good to hear. Isn’t it?
JOHN SCHMIDT: Yeah, it is. It’s great.
JOHN RAMSEY: All right. John Schmidt, once again, attorney at law specializing in family law. In this case, of course, it was a custody battle. Divorce, whatever the case may be, even personal injury law, he does that as well. But there’s the information on the screen. How many times have you heard in a conversation with a friend of yours, you said, I want a lawyer who really cares? Well, you’ve got one, and he’s the gentleman to my left. We’ll take a little break here. And then coming up, we’ll talk about emergency situations, we’ll talk —