Family law is a complex area of the law, and within family law itself, there are many areas that family lawyers cam work across. From child custody and visitation to divorce and estate settlements, this article will go over the areas of family law that a family lawyer can help you with.
Child Custody & Visitation
If you’re going through a divorce or separating from your partner, family lawyers can help you with child custody and visitation arrangements. Child custody is a highly sensitive issue, so it’s important that the family lawyer you hire has experience dealing with this matter and can resolve things as amicably as possible. They can also help you with child support if you’re the custodial parent.
Prenuptial Agreements
A prenuptial agreement is a written legal contract between two people who will be married. The contract outlines terms for who will control or be entitled to which assets and in what amount in the event of a divorce. While on the decline, prenuptial agreements are still sometimes drafted for couples who possess a large amount of individual or family wealth. These agreements are the best way to protect assets if the marriage is unsuccessful.
Divorce
One of the most common reasons why family lawyers are hired is to initiate the divorce process. Depending on the reason for initiating the divorce and whether the divorcing couple have a prenuptial agreement, a divorce is not always a simple and straightforward process. Usually it’s necessary to hire a family lawyer to assist with the legal process of getting a divorce, including filing for divorce, dividing property, and working out child custody and visitation arrangements.
Domestic Violence Interventions
If a family member has been the victim of threats, stalking or direct physical harm, family lawyers can help protect them with an intervention order. A family violence intervention order (FVIO) is a court order with the explicit purpose of protecting an adult, child or property from another family member’s harmful behaviour. Fortunately, you do not need to apply for a FVIO in person, as an application can be filled out online or over the phone. If you have no safe way of filing for an FVIO, a family lawyer can fill out the application on your behalf.
Adoption
The adoption process can be long, emotionally taxing and expensive, especially if you’re not sure on how to navigate the process efficiently and follow the necessary processes properly. Working with a lawyer throughout the adoption process can help make the process smoother and ensure you understand what’s happening at every stage.
Estate Planning
Family lawyers can also be enlisted to help families with their estate planning. A family lawyer can help you make a plan that outlines how your assets will be distributed and who the specific beneficiaries will be. It’s not uncommon to change and update this document over the years, however, for each amendment, it’s important to first get advice and guidance from your family lawyer to ensure the amendment can’t be challenged after the fact. Estate planning with a family lawyer will make the process of transferring your assets to beneficiaries much smoother and equitable.
