Life can throw a number of hurdles at a family, and some of these obstacles require legal assistance. The problem is many people don’t always think about this and do not seek out a family legal attorney. Ignoring this need could force a family to stress out unnecessarily, should the need ever spring up. The following are some things to consider when selecting this type of lawyer.
Understanding What a Family Lawyer Does
You have a happy home, so the idea of hiring a family lawyer doesn’t always seem necessary, since most of the time, these lawyers are used for divorces, but the reality is the field is a lot more inclusive than that. The following are some cases Arizona family law attorneys can help with:
Divorces
Yes, this type of lawyer deals with divorces, and the key is to make it as worry-free as possible. A family lawyer is going to try to separate all things, such as property and other things. Alimony and child custody are other things that are dealt with effectively with a good lawyer.
Establishing Paternity
Families come in many forms, and one type of family includes a parent who is not the biological parent of a child. This parent may want the law to treat him or her as the parent of the child. At this point, a family court will help grant legal paternity to this person, giving him or her right medical rights among other things. An attorney should help make this request go as smoothly as possible.
Fighting Domestic Abuse
It would be nice to say that domestic violence couldn’t happen in your household, but that is not the case. These types of issues happen to anyone when you least expect it. Having a family lawyer could make it easier for victims of domestic violence to ask for protection orders. Hopefully, such orders are never needed, but it is good to have someone in your family’s corner.
Name Changes
Both children and adults could change their names legally. A name change could happen for a number of reasons, even one as simple as not liking the name initially given. The change happens through a name change case, and a good family lawyer can make that go smoothly.
Guardianship
Legal guardianship is something family courts could determine. Guardianship is something you seek when someone in your family, be it a child or an adult, can’t make medical, personal, or financial decisions for them. If the person is an adult, it’s worth also seeking the help of probate attorneys new york and other areas to make decisions regarding their will or inheritance. Depending on what sort of issues they’re struggling with, the person might still be able to make these decisions for themself and it should be sorted while they’re still able to so that their wishes are heard.
Termination of Parental Rights
Hopefully, this never happens to your family, but the possibility of a parent in a household abandoning, neglecting, or even abusing a child is always there. This is the reason the termination of parental rights ability is here. A good lawyer can ensure that this takes place as soon as possible to protect the child.
Juvenile Issues
Parents will normally try to raise good kids, but bad things could still happen. Kids who are accused of a crime or at least participating in illegal activities will have to face the courts, and it’s good to have an expert on your side. A good lawyer can also deal with child abuse and child neglect if necessary. Family courts can also approve work permits for kids who really want to start working before they are old enough.
Emancipation or Underage Marriages
Sometimes, individuals under the age of 18 want to get married or want to be free from parental legal control. Petitioning for emancipation or getting permission to legally marry, even though one is not 18, are things family law could help make easier.
These are just some things a good San Diego probate lawyer can help a family with. Understanding how big of a role a family attorney could play allows you to make an informed decision, but there are other things to consider.
Additional Things to Consider Before Making a Choice
The following are a few things to keep in mind while figuring out who to entrust your family’s peace with:
Expertise
Knowing what a family law attorney can do is half the battle; it’s also important to see how much experience this person has dealing with these types of cases. Attorneys can disclose information about their past cases and their success rates, which should help you make a decision.
Third Party Reviews
No one is saying you should listen to third party reviews blindly, but they should give you a good idea of what to expect about lawyers that you are considering. Try to read negative and positive reviews to get a general feel for the attorney.
Research Reputation
You have the power to learn more about the family lawyer you are thinking of hiring. For example, the local family court house has listings of all family cases, and an individual can see how the lawyer in question did with each case. We also think it’s pretty cool that a person can call local bar association and request records to see how good this particular lawyer is.
These are just some things to keep in mind when choosing a family legal representative. We think you should have extensive interviews with each potential lawyer to make sure you and everyone in your family clicks with this person.
