When to use a family law attorney

Many people don’t realize that lawyers specialize in certain fields in the same way that doctors do. For any situation involving parent-child or other legal family relationships, you need a family law attorney. A family law attorney is an attorney who specializes in legal cases involving marriage, children, and custody. Family lawyers are capable of handling a wide variety of situations, the basics of which will be covered here.

paternity

Paternity, the status of being someone’s father, is usually determined through DNA testing. This can be done by the father when he is trying to claim custody or by the mother when she is trying to claim child support. In a legal situation, a family lawyer could navigate the legal processes necessary to order and/or validate paternity status.

child custody

Custody is awarded to an adult who is considered the best choice as the primary guardian and caretaker of a child. Child custody decisions are made with the best interests of the child as the primary focus. An attorney must be able to identify and work for these interests in court, looking at factors such as the relationship between the parents, histories of abuse or responsibility, and the geographic locations of the parents.

child support

“Child support” is a sum of money that a parent is legally obligated to send to the spouse who retains custody of the child. Parents’ income, health insurance, cost of health care, and pre-existing child support obligations are taken into account when determining new child support obligations. Child support is intended to be used for medical care, costs related to education, food, clothing, etc.

Visitation

Divorced parents usually set up visiting hours. A competent attorney can fight in court for a client’s visitation rights to her child, as well as ensure that a child is safely removed from any dangerous situation.

Mediation

Mediation is a common approach to resolving family disputes in which a third party tries to mediate between the two parties to reach a compromise. In a brief scenario, you, your spouse, and both attorneys are usually present.

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The court will generally take steps after a case to ensure that both parties involved follow the orders and rulings of the court regarding any of the above situations. A family law attorney may be able to help you if you believe that you or the other parent has violated a court order.

Do you need a family lawyer?

Dealing with any court and legal process can be overwhelming and confusing. A family law attorney can both help mediate and navigate the daunting legal process. Additionally, a family attorney can advise you on the appropriate course of action when dealing with a legal dispute.