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Most family lawyers represent their clients in divorce proceedings as well as various other matters related to it. However, family law is quite a broad practice area; it also includes issues such as reproductive rights and foster care. In order to skillfully navigate the touchy and difficult problems that surface between family members, you might want to engage the services of a family lawyer.
When would you need a family lawyer?
This professional can handle various legal issues involving your family members, including negotiations, separations, lawsuits disputes, and unions. You may need to consult with a good family lawyer for changes in your family dynamic such as:
- Marriage
- Domestic partnerships
- Civil unions
- Prenuptial agreements
- Separation
- Alimony
- Divorce
- Property settlements
- Spousal abuse
- Child kidnapping
- Child abuse
- Child custody
- Adoption
Different family lawyers specialize in different fields and may not be experienced in handling cases from all these categories. If you are looking for a good family lawyer you first need to ask which areas they practice in. This will help you confirm whether their specialization meets your needs. Let’s take a detailed look at some of the commonest reasons to hire a family lawyer.
- Divorce
In a divorce case, each partner hires his/her own lawyer, who will help create a settlement plan so as to avoid a trial. A divorce attorney is generally very skilled at dividing common marital property. They have the expertise to calculate spousal support and propose a plan for visitation rights, support and child custody (if and when applicable).
- Child custody or child support
Settlement agreements and even court orders involving support as well as custody are generally included in larger divorce cases. However, these may also be revisited if there is a change in any conditions. For example, child support might be changed in case the non-custodial parent’s financial condition undergoes a change.
- Adoption or foster care
Adoption is quite an involved process and it can change based on where that child is from, the type of adoption, variances in the existing state laws, and various other factors. This makes it very important to consult with a seasoned attorney like Daniel Cooper. Foster parents may sometimes adopt a foster child, but this process doesn’t always need legal representation.
- Paternity
In most instance, the mother files a paternity case; it’s done in an effort to get child financial support from an absent father. However, there are times when a biological father will file for paternity if they want to have a relationship with their children. Paternity is generally determined via DNA testing.
What can you expect when working with your family lawyer?
As mentioned at the outset, family law covers a very broad practice area, making it difficult to very clearly mention what you can expect from any family law proceedings. However, the objective is to have much better-defined interactions and relationships with your family. Here are some things you can expect:
- The lawyer will assess your case, based on discussions they have had with you and the paperwork you have shared with him.
- He should provide sound advice on exactly how strong your case is and whether you need to take it to court and how strong your case is.
- The lawyer should be able to take you through all the stages involved in filing a lawsuit or papers.
- With reference to document review or creation, you can expect your family lawyer to create a well-structured, legally binding agreement with very clear and concise terms that you can understand. This gives you a good chance of winning your lawsuit.
