Experienced family law attorneys can draw upon those contacts to work effectively with your spouse’s attorney to help negotiate a settlement that is fair and equitable.
Family divorce lawyers can help guide their clients through one of the most challenging periods of their lives and help them make the right decisions for their future.
Alternatives to litigation – Family law attorneys can advise their clients on whether alternatives such as divorce mediation may be appropriate for their circumstances. Mediation can save divorcing spouses with good communication the time, expense, and stress of a divorce proceeding. In mediation , a facilitator helps guide divorcing spouses to an amicable agreement. While this option isn’t for everyone, many couples have used it to successfully end marriages without the acrimony involved in divorce.
When married men and women seek a divorce, it’s important for them to retain an attorney to help with all of the legal paperwork and negotiations involved in a divorce proceeding. They shouldn’t just hire any attorney, however.
Courtroom experience – There is no substitute for experience when it comes to litigation. Family law attorneys have spent a significant portion of their careers in the courtroom arguing divorce cases. This experience gives them unparalleled insight into what tactics opposing attorneys will pursue and how judges will react to various arguments and evidence. While most divorce cases settle, the most contentious ones end up in a courtroom and, in that circumstance, you want a seasoned professional on your side.
How do you approach child custody disputes? Child custody is one of the most emotionally charged aspects of a divorce proceeding. You want to hire an attorney who will vigorously advocate for you and your children’s interests, but who also will show compassion and sensitivity to your children.
Objective advice – Even if you’re the party who is initiating the divorce action, chances are that you are experiencing some very deep emotional turmoil concerning the matter. When emotions are running high, it’s easy to make rash decisions that, in hindsight, will prove to be ill-considered. Having a family law attorney in your corner means that you have a professional who can offer objective, fact- and experience-based advice regarding your divorce. A family law attorney can help you avoid going for a quick resolution that leaves you at a long-term financial or parenting disadvantage.
The family lawyer is an expert who deals with several potentially complex areas of the law. They often act in situations where there is considerable stress involved, as well as emotional upset.
The child is, first and foremost, the priority in this situation, and the family lawyer will help arrange the best situation in terms of custody, visiting, and any other specific arrangements that need to be set down and adhered to. Custody, in law, does not simply mean who the child primarily lives with, but also covers decisions ...
As the term implies, family lawyers focus on issues that have an impact on families. They deal with matters such as divorce proceedings, adoptions, and child custody. Common tasks include drafting custody agreements, wills, prenuptial agreements, and other documents.
Moreover, strong “people skills” are especially important for family lawyers. Given the deeply personal issues inherent to family law, the ability to relate calmly and constructively with people who may be emotionally vulnerable is a must.
In divorce cases, for example, considerations may include whether they are handled on a fault or no-fault basis, how assets will be divided, and various possible grounds such as irreconcilable differences, mental cruelty, or desertion. Child custody and support may be major factors as well.
Family law also remains a crucial legal specialty, covering issues core to a society’s culture and values. “There’s a rich body of [family] law,” Professor Teixeira de Sousa says. “Students are often fascinated by the way in which the common law [cases] reflect evolving gender roles and societal expectations of the family, ...
But family law is also a surprisingly broad legal area, says New England Law | Boston Professor Monica Teixeira de Sousa, advisor for the school’s Family Law Concentration. It touches upon everything from constitutional law to tax law to real estate. “The best way to think about it is, what are the legal issues that are likely to impact the family unit?” she says.
All lawyers hope to help their clients, but few do so with the emotional, personal impact of family law attorneys. After all, the things often at stake in family law cases—like a child’s welfare or justice for an abused spouse—have a gravitas many other areas of the law cannot match.