Leo Baker 
When it comes to family law, everyone is on a need-to-know basis. You need a family law attorney who can understand your individual situation and provide you with the advice and representation you need to resolve your case. A great family law attorney doesn’t just know the law; they know the people they’ll be working with. For that, you have to consider the specific needs of your attorney. These can be different for every attorney, depending on their areas of interest and experience. You should understand how they will help you. Here’s a list of some of the most common family law needs to help narrow down your search:
Mediation
In mediation, both the spouse who wants a divorce and the spouse who wants to stay in the marriage sit down with an attorney or a mediator to discuss the issues that have led to the divorce. We’re not going to do anything to the other spouse, and we don’t have a judge or a court to make a decision. But we’re going to sit down and look at the issues and see what we can work out between the two of us. Mediation is a great option if you and your spouse are interested in working things out amicably and don’t want to go to court. It’s especially helpful for couples who don’t know where to start in determining what the future looks like for them.
Divorce
While divorce is often only one option, it is the most common legal issue that brings couples to the attorneys in the first place. A divorce attorney can help you navigate the legal process, from property division to child custody and support. The divorce process can be complicated and expensive, so it’s important to choose the right lawyer for the job. One of the first things you’ll want to do is come up with a budget for your divorce. What’s the best way to allocate your limited resources? When will the process take place? If you are the spouse filing for divorce, you’ll need to decide which laws you will follow. Different states have different laws regarding divorce, so it’s important that you understand the regulations in your state.
Custody, Visitation, and Support
When it comes to a custody agreement, one of the most important decisions is who gets custody of the children. Who makes the decisions about where they go, what they do, and when they see them? These are called custody arrangements. A custody agreement will include information about the custodial parent’s rights, such as how often the child sees the other parent and the amount of child support that person should pay. If you’re asking for custody or visitation, you’ll need to go to court and file a petition. You can also file a petition if you both agree to the custody arrangement and want the judge to enforce the agreement. In both situations, you’ll need to hire a lawyer.
Paternity
When a couple wants to establish paternity, they’re aiming to have a child. The mother and the child’s father will both need to go to court and file a petition. The father has to swear under oath that he is the child’s father. A paternity test is then done to determine who the child’s biological father is. The court will then issue a court order establishing paternity, which will state the rights and responsibilities of the father. The father then has the right to file for child support.
Child Support
Child support is money paid by one parent to the other that goes toward their children’s care and support. The amount of child support will depend on a variety of factors, including the amount of income of both parents, the specific circumstances of the family, and the condition of the children. The parent paying the child support may be a parent through adoption, marriage, or birth and may or may not be the biological parent. In both situations, the other parent may file to increase the amount of child support.
Estates and Trusts
When a family member dies, they may have a will or have a trust-holding property that is meant for the children. The will or trust will outline the ownership of any assets, including the property the children may have and the amount of child support that person should receive. If you have questions about your parents’ property, or if your parents have passed away, you should discuss these matters with your attorney.
Termination of Parental Rights
The termination of parental rights is the last step in a child’s legal adoption. It is done when a judge decides that it would be in the child’s best interest to give up his or her rights to the biological parent. After the termination of parental rights, the adoptive parents can take the child home and have full rights over him or her. Parents who want to give up their rights to their children have a lot to consider. They have to weigh the best interests of their children against their own desire to have a relationship with the child.
Collaborative Law: Can an Attorney and a Collaborative Lawyer Represent You Together?
In some states, you may have the option of hiring a collaborative lawyer. A collaborative lawyer works with an attorney and another lawyer, each representing a different party in a divorce or family law matter. This option might be right for you if your situation is complicated or you want to have the attorney in this scenario be a collaborative lawyer. A collaborative lawyer may be able to help you with your legal needs, including a divorce or a custody fight.
