Family lawyers are able to work as mediators when family conflicts arise. They may also represent individual litigants in family court cases that end up in courts. Below are a few of the additional things that family law attorneys can do.
They can draft prenuptial agreements. This is where married couples agree on various financial and business aspects of their relationship before they get married. These agreements should cover property ownership, estate planning, child custody, spousal support, and other key aspects of a couple’s familial relationships. A good family law attorney will be able to draft an agreement that is beneficial to all parties involved. It can prevent future disagreements regarding major issues that can otherwise lead to long-term conflict.
They may also assist with prenuptial agreements. When a couple first gets married they are likely excited about starting their new life together. Unfortunately, marriage often takes a back seat to other more important matters which begin to affect the couple’s relationship. One of these areas is the issue of divorce. Divorce is often the final chapter of a relationship, and it often brings serious marital strain. Family law attorneys can advise their clients about what steps should be taken to protect their assets in case of a divorce, and they can also work to get their spouses to agree to prenuptial agreements before getting married.
A prenuptial agreement can also be used to protect the interests of the children during a divorce proceeding. If parents agree to terms regarding child custody and visitation, they may enter into a prenup agreement. This can prevent the parents from randomly picking up and dropping their kids off at different addresses, which is often the case during a divorce. Again, family lawyers represent many clients who have this type of agreement.
It is not uncommon for divorcing couples to try to determine an amount of spousal support they may be entitled to receive. Many of these situations result in trial and appeal, which can take years. If there was already a court order established via a divorce decree, then the court will often make a ruling about support in the event the parties cannot agree on a settlement. Family law attorneys are familiar with all of the procedures that need to be followed in order for one party to get the other to pay for marital property, child support, and any other amounts of money involved in a divorce proceeding.
Family attorneys also deal with the issues surrounding post-divorce inquiries. Many times, a former spouse will try to contact former co-workers or friends about their former spouse. If these attempts to connect to come too late, family law attorneys can provide their client with legal advice on how to proceed. They can even provide legal services regarding any potential spousal support or child custody orders that may exist. While many individuals try to handle the issues of a divorce on their own, it may be in a couple of weeks or months for these individuals to be able to find legal services that they can use. If no legal services are immediately available, family attorneys can still help the person obtain whatever information they need from other sources.