What does it mean if a parent has legal child custody? This means that the parent is responsible for the everyday decisions which affect the child’s lifestyle – for example, choosing a pediatrician and school and outlining the child’s diet and bedtime.
Many modern couples have a whole array of different assets to divide when they get divorced, including retirement accounts, stocks and bonds, and even life insurance policies. Your lawyer will help you navigate these complicated issues to reach an agreement.
Do you know the difference between agency and private adoptions? With a private, or independent adoption, there is a third party involved who helps the birth parents find a suitable prospective family.
If you are not going for full or joint physical custody of your children, it’s still important to have proper representation in court. We will ensure that there is ample provision for visitation, thereby allowing you to continue to build a strong loving relationship with your children.
Working with an experienced family attorney can help to reduce some of the stress in a divorce. The fear of the unknown can be terrifying for many people during a contested divorce, and knowing that a lawyer is fighting for your rights can help considerably.
The two main types of divorce are absolute divorce and limited divorce. Absolute divorce is the most common type of divorce and can include no-fault or at-fault divorce proceedings while a limited divorce is more of a temporary separation which gives couples time to assess their choices.
One of the most common ways in which paternity is legally established is through DNA testing (usually when one party is contesting the paternity allegations). If neither party objects, paternity can also be established by placing the father’s name on the child’s birth certificate.
Individuals seeking a divorce that do not hire a lawyer commonly make mistakes that require hearings to be rescheduled, whether the issue is missed deadlines or forms filled out incorrectly. This can force both parties to the divorce to miss additional time from work and to lose money.
It’s important to understand that in any custody decision, the judge is going to look at stability as a primary factor in any decision. We will ensure that this is an important focus when presenting your case.
Do you feel confident that the divorce with your spouse will be amicable? You're probably right, but having legal experts available if you need us is a smart way to proceed. Legal fees will only become an issue if you are wrong about your spouse's intentions.
Remember, family law is a matter handled at the state level, not federal. This means that the rules governing your case in the state you currently reside in could be vastly different than they were when you went through similar proceedings in another state.
Did you know that the payment structures for child support and alimony payments can have an impact on taxes? Family law attorneys will work with both parties to determine the best payment structures to reduce tax payments.
If you’re interested in working directly with the birth parents to adopt a baby, you’ll definitely need a family attorney to walk you through the finer points of the process. When you’re ready to get started, we’re always here for you.
Ask about the annulment laws in the state if you think your marriage qualifies. Often, a material dishonesty can lead to an annulment. So if one spouse thought the other was terminally ill or rich and that's the reason for the marriage, that is the type of dishonesty that can trigger an annulment.
Divorces do not have to be bitter and ugly. In many cases, couples simply grow apart and want to dissolve their marriage. We have experience with divorces that are friendly and those that are bitter and hotly contested.
The term “bona fides of relationship” refers to the intent of parties at the time of marriage to enter into a relationship for good faith reasons. This means the marriage union was not forged simply to obtain benefits for a non-citizen spouse of an American citizen.
Even in a low-temperature divorce, it's a good idea to let us look through the divorce documents before you sign anything. Sometimes, an inadvertent mistake is as much of a concern as an angry former spouse.
If you’re considering hiring us to begin divorce proceedings, it’s important to take a step back and ask yourself if you’re really ready to end the marriage or if you’re just angry right now.
If you’ve devoted the last several years of your life raising children and managing a household, you may have concerns about how you’ll support yourself after your divorce. In some cases, you may qualify for spousal support that will make your transition a little easier financially.
What is “maintenance” in a divorce case? Your family lawyer can offer more details, but maintenance is simply another term for alimony. Most states allow temporary maintenance during the divorce as well as permanent maintenance. There are many factors that are considered, including how the couple lived during the marriage and the ability of either the husband or wife to pay maintenance.
Although children of a certain age may have the legal right to choose which parent they want to live with, they may not want that responsibility. Having to make such a serious decision at a relatively young age can be stressful for many children.
The care of the kids often drives many of the other decisions that need to be made, since they are considered a non-negotiable to both sides in most cases. The courts do their best to encourage that by establishing the “best interest of the child” standard for areas that touch those children.
Estate planning is one of the many areas in which an attorney can help you protect yourself and your family. We can help you with asset distribution, final wishes, and what happens to minor children in the event of the unthinkable. No one wants to plan for the end, but it's the best thing to do for your family.
One of the major benefits of an uncontested divorce is that the paperwork process is significantly simplified. In addition, since the parties are essentially agreeing to all the terms of the divorce, this type of divorce takes much less time to complete.