When You Might Need A Family Law Attorney
by Joyce Diaz
There are some family issues that are too big or complicated to solve alone. That's where family law attorneys come in. These lawyers are specially trained to help you with a plethora of domestic disputes, both large and small. Here are a few of the most common areas a family law attorney can help you with.
Divorce and Separation Proceedings
One of the main legal issues family law attorneys deal with are divorces and legal separations. Getting a divorce can be a tricky matter that requires a lot of time and paperwork. A family law or divorce attorney will help you and your partner come to an agreement regarding the division of shared property and assets, child custody and visitation rights, and the amount of money owed for alimony and/or child support. Typically, both you and your partner will have separate family law attorneys, arguing for similar issues. These lawyers do their best to settle these disagreements quickly and fairly, but if no one can come to a consensus, then the issue will be taken to court.
Family Mediation
All families have disagreements, but sometimes those discrepancies are important and cannot get solved without outside help. This help is called family mediation. Family law attorneys are trained to be sensitive negotiators as well as knowledgeable about state and federal laws, so they are ideal candidates to settle familial differences. In these instances, family law attorneys act as an impartial third party to help all parties come to an agreement.
Prenuptial Agreements
The same way a family law attorney can help a married couple separate, she can also help an engaged couple keep track of their soon to be merged assets. Prenuptial or premarital agreements are contracts partners enter into prior to marriage that state the specific terms of their division of property in case of a future divorce.
Civil Protection
Victims or those accused of domestic violence can also seek representation by a family law attorney. Because this is a domestic crime, it falls under family law jurisdiction. These lawyers can help their clients come to a settlement or defend them in a court of law.
Guardianship and Child Care
Issues of parental rights or guardianship can be also settled by a family law attorney. If you are trying to adopt or gain guardianship over a minor, these lawyers will help you find all of the paperwork and guide you through the process. Family law attorneys also represent clients who are dealing with or are victims of child abuse or neglect.
Share
About Me
Hello. My name is Stephanie Laurel. I have recently been through a divorce, and although I don’t wish it on anyone, I do wish that everyone could come out of the proceedings feeling they have been taken care of. My husband and I had been married twenty-eight years. We have four children, two of which are still under eighteen years of age. We owned the home we lived in and had a vacation home in a different state. We are civilized people, we get along fairly well considering, but no matter how much we thought we could go through the divorce process without lawyers, it wasn't possible. We each hired a divorce attorney to represent us. Most of the negotiations went well, but when we hit a rough spot the attorneys took over. Thank goodness. I’m going to share more about the experience and hope it helps you.