Marriage is a unique union that allows the partners to influence each other’s life. Family law is a legal practice that involves all issues in a marriage, such as adoption, parenting, divorce, child custody, inheritance and more. Family lawyers represent clients with all negotiations and arrangements in the family setup.
Family law attorneys can specialize in divorce, adoption, inheritance and estate sharing, and paternity. Therefore, a family law attorney can help a client with sensitive issues. Additionally, a family law attorney helps a client to understand legal terms such as:
Emancipation- here, the court deregisters a child who no longer needs care from parents because they are self-supporting because they’re of age.
Marital property- refers to all the estate acquired by both spouses during their marriage. The property is subject to equitable division upon divorce.
Alimony- refers to a stipend or allowance extended to a spouse for support during and after separation.
Paternity- is the process of determining the biological descent of a child in a marriage.
Pre-nuptial agreement- refers to the mutual understanding between the two marrying spouses in which they give up their future rights to each other if death or divorce happens.
Why hire a family law attorney?
Family law attorneys are best suited for divorce and separation cases. You may need a family lawyer to help you with the following issues:
- Divorce- the divorcing couple hires an attorney to help safeguard their interests and rights after divorce. A divorce lawyer should be an expert in calculating settlement, spousal child support dues, marital property, and other issues.
- Child support- the lawyer helps you to get physical or legal support for your children after separation. Child support status can change with time, especially when a child outgrows the legal age of 18 years.
- Paternity- often, mothers may require a paternity test to file a negligence case from an irresponsible father. A father can also demand a paternity test to seek a relationship with his child.
- Foster care- a couple seeking to adopt a child, requires legal representation to give them legal rights to parent a child.
Family law attorney during a divorce
A family lawyer is a critical professional during the divorce proceedings. The lawyer has the experience required to divide assets, calculate alimony and explain the dynamics of different decisions. Each party must realize that they have contributed to the family wealth accumulated over time. Consequently, the court can divide their property using the prevailing divorce laws and circumstances.
How to prepare for divorce?
. Keep assets separate
Non-marital assets are not necessarily shared between the two parties during divorce. It may be tricky keeping your personal assets out of the reach of your spouse during your relationship. However, property inherited from parents or registered with your name remains yours and is not subject to division. Keep your personal assets in a separate account if you receive personal injury awards, gifts, and inheritance.
. Understand finance decisions
The two spouses should understand their finances and participate in decision-making throughout their marriage. One of the best practices is when joint accounts have the name and signature of both of you. It proves that you deserve an equal share in all the property owned during the relationship.
It is also critical to save copies of investment accounts and keep them in a different location other than your home. You should also involve a lawyer to prevent the other party from accessing the joint assets if you detect a pending divorce.
Consider timing
You need to be timely about your divorce. It is essential to consider your earnings and determine your financial ability to take a divorce case.
Take away
Family law attorney helps families deal with separation, adoption, and paternity issues. Talk to a family law firm specialist to help you go through the process to get favorable outcomes.