Have you been struggling over a child custody matter, divorce proceeding, or child support/visitation matter?
We all know that one of the main problems with consulting an attorney is the fear of high legal costs. When it comes to handling a divorce or child custody matter, too many people decide to take matters into their own hands and buy a cheap legal form online. Don't do it!
Are You Aware Of The Hidden Costs Of Handling Family Law Matters With Cheap Online Forms?
As tempting as this solution may be, there are several things I’ve had to fix after someone takes this route. The fact is that filling out one of these forms is not easy and not every form is right for your situation. One little detail that you gave to the courts can change over the following months, and this will mean more time in court and more money for hiring an attorney later on.
Talk to a professional!
Understand that if you wait until the last minute to consult me or someone else, you’ll end up paying a lot more on the front end than beforehand. You’re not paying an attorney to settle your problems right now, but to get advice on the best course of action to take in the future.
Whether you’ve got a question about physical custody, joint custody, splitting property up in a divorce, or how much you might pay in child support, I’ll be more than happy to answer your questions.
We all know that one of the main problems with consulting an attorney is the fear of high legal costs. When it comes to handling a divorce or child custody matter, too many people decide to take matters into their own hands and buy a cheap legal form online. Don't do it!
Are You Aware Of The Hidden Costs Of Handling Family Law Matters With Cheap Online Forms?
As tempting as this solution may be, there are several things I’ve had to fix after someone takes this route. The fact is that filling out one of these forms is not easy and not every form is right for your situation. One little detail that you gave to the courts can change over the following months, and this will mean more time in court and more money for hiring an attorney later on.
Talk to a professional!
Understand that if you wait until the last minute to consult me or someone else, you’ll end up paying a lot more on the front end than beforehand. You’re not paying an attorney to settle your problems right now, but to get advice on the best course of action to take in the future.
Whether you’ve got a question about physical custody, joint custody, splitting property up in a divorce, or how much you might pay in child support, I’ll be more than happy to answer your questions.
Factors in Divorce and Custody Cases
There are a variety of factors you should consider when consulting an attorney over matters of family law like divorces, custody, and child support.
1. One of the first factors will be CUSTODY: (who will spend the most time with your children)
a. Physical custody will determine exactly how many days each parent will spend with the children.
b. Legal custody is awarded to the parent who wants decision-making rights over the children.
2. Another factor is what TYPE OF DIVORCE you want.
a. There’s a “no-fault” divorce where there are irreconcilable differences, and it’s by agreement of both spouses. You both agree on the arrangement, and sign papers for the court to divorce you.
b. The other type of divorce is one by “grounds.” The grounds can include adultery, cruel and inhuman treatment, or other outrageous conduct like isolation and overly controlling behavior.
3. There’s also the issue of which partner receives which ASSETS.
• The big thing about assets is the difference between marital property and separate property. Ante-nuptial and pre-nuptial agreements come into play here too.
• An asset is separate if you owned it before the marriage, or the product of non-marital labor or appreciation of assets.
EXAMPLE:
- Let's say you owned 20 acres of land before you were married. During the marriage, you cut and sold the timber on the land. The land and the money from the timber sale are separate assets, so long as you keep it separate from your marital funds.
- What if you have the same 20 acres, and you build a cabin on it to vacation with your family? You’ve converted that from separate to marital because of the way you used the property.
- However, that doesn’t mean your spouse is entitled to 50% of the 20 acres and cabin; this is the reason you need an attorney to look into whether these are marital or separate assets. You don’t want to assume that your spouse is entitled to something!
The biggest problem with family law is that people have been told something else or read something on the internet, or have pre-conceived ideas about their situation because a relative went through the something. Every situation is unique and different. Please don’t make any assumptions about the legal process! There’s probably something that can help you during this difficult time, which is why you need to retain your own attorney to represent YOUR best interests. Please complete the form below and we will be happy to schedule a FREE 30-minute consultation.
There are a variety of factors you should consider when consulting an attorney over matters of family law like divorces, custody, and child support.
1. One of the first factors will be CUSTODY: (who will spend the most time with your children)
a. Physical custody will determine exactly how many days each parent will spend with the children.
b. Legal custody is awarded to the parent who wants decision-making rights over the children.
2. Another factor is what TYPE OF DIVORCE you want.
a. There’s a “no-fault” divorce where there are irreconcilable differences, and it’s by agreement of both spouses. You both agree on the arrangement, and sign papers for the court to divorce you.
b. The other type of divorce is one by “grounds.” The grounds can include adultery, cruel and inhuman treatment, or other outrageous conduct like isolation and overly controlling behavior.
3. There’s also the issue of which partner receives which ASSETS.
• The big thing about assets is the difference between marital property and separate property. Ante-nuptial and pre-nuptial agreements come into play here too.
• An asset is separate if you owned it before the marriage, or the product of non-marital labor or appreciation of assets.
EXAMPLE:
- Let's say you owned 20 acres of land before you were married. During the marriage, you cut and sold the timber on the land. The land and the money from the timber sale are separate assets, so long as you keep it separate from your marital funds.
- What if you have the same 20 acres, and you build a cabin on it to vacation with your family? You’ve converted that from separate to marital because of the way you used the property.
- However, that doesn’t mean your spouse is entitled to 50% of the 20 acres and cabin; this is the reason you need an attorney to look into whether these are marital or separate assets. You don’t want to assume that your spouse is entitled to something!
The biggest problem with family law is that people have been told something else or read something on the internet, or have pre-conceived ideas about their situation because a relative went through the something. Every situation is unique and different. Please don’t make any assumptions about the legal process! There’s probably something that can help you during this difficult time, which is why you need to retain your own attorney to represent YOUR best interests. Please complete the form below and we will be happy to schedule a FREE 30-minute consultation.
