Going through big life changes can be tough on its own. The added stress of getting a family lawyer involved can feel even more isolating and scary.
While hiring a great lawyer isn’t free, it can improve your chances of seeing the legal outcome you so desire. A lawyer can help you build your case, understand your own and your family members’ legal situation, and avoid future legal challenges. If you’re in a sticky situation and wondering whether you would benefit from the legal advice and help of a family lawyer, read on.
This article will cover just some of the circumstances where a family lawyer may be able to help you get the best possible legal outcome.
1. A Good Family Lawyer Can Help Through a Divorce
Divorce is one of the most important decisions many people ever make. When a relationship is coming to an end, both parties must agree on several long-term decisions that will affect them and their family’s future.
If you’re going through a divorce, a good family lawyer can help you understand every step of the legal process. They can also make you aware of your rights and make clear the options you have depending on your situation and the outcome.
Nobody dreams of going through a divorce, but there are steps you can take to soften the blow on you and your family. Hiring a family lawyer can help you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse move through divorce with as much ease as possible while keeping other aspects of the life you built safe and secure.
2. A Family Lawyer Couldn’t Be More Important During Custody Disagreements
Whether you’re going through a divorce or a non-parental custody action, child custody disagreements are heart-wrenching. Non-parental custody action, or third-party custody action, is when individuals are seeking legal custody of a child of whom they are not a parent.
Once the court decides on who has custody of a child or children, it is often very hard to change that ruling in the future. For this reason, hiring a family lawyer to help you and your family couldn’t be more important. If you’re in a custody battle, a family attorney can help you move through the court system as swiftly as possible, leaving your children out of the messy situation.
3. A Family Lawyer Can Help You Through the Adoption Process
Adopting a child is often a wild mix of emotions. New parents can feel overjoyed, excited and hopeful, while also feeling anxious, frustrated, and worn down. The legal process of adopting a child can be grueling, especially if you’re adopting a child from out of state or from another country.
Adoption has an enormous effect on biological and adoptive parents, as well as the child or children being adopted. These sensitive situations should be handled with care, which is why a family attorney is always recommended.
Whether you’re going through an open, closed, foster care, step-parent, domestic or international adoption, a family lawyer can help you along the way.
4. When You Are Hoping to Move But Subject to a Parenting Plan
If you are divorced and have shared custody of a child, you can’t simply move out of the state without getting legal consent from the person you have a parenting plan with.
Before you move, you must file and serve a Notice of Intended Relocation to the other legal parent, or any other party that has legal visitation rights with the child. From there, the other parent or party involved can either approve or object to the relocation. If an agreement cannot be reached, the issue is brought to the court of law.
If you are the parent moving or being served with the Notice of Intended Relocation, consulting with a family lawyer can help you keep your family safe.
5. It’s Always Good to Have a Family Lawyer When Modifying a Parenting Plan
Parenting plans are child custody plans that are negotiated and decided on by the parents of the said child. Once a parenting plan is in place, any formal modification of the plan needs to go through the court. If one parent decides to modify the parenting plan on their own, it could result in serious legal issues.
Minor parenting plan modifications can include changing transportation arrangements, child care or supervision, pick up or drop off times, and more. Major parenting plan modifications often involve switching the legal custody of a child from one parent to another.
Whether you’re looking to modify a minor or major aspect of your parenting plan, having a family lawyer on your side can help you achieve your goals and ensure your family isn’t negatively affected. An experienced family attorney can help you gather evidence and present it effectively in court.
6. When You Are Supporting a Dependent Adult Child’s Education
If you are divorced, currently divorcing, or have never been married to your spouse, the court can help you decide who is to support your dependent adult child’s education or professional training. This is also called post-secondary support and it is never automatically assigned when the parents of the adult child aren’t legally married.
Post-high school and college education can be extremely expensive. How a child’s education or formal training should be paid for is often decided through the court to avoid confusion or conflict. Hiring a family lawyer can keep your finances safe while allowing your child(ren) to pursue higher education.
Where to Find The Best Family Lawyer
With thousands of family lawyers to hire, it can be difficult to know which attorney is right for you and your situation. At Anderson Hunter Law, we have the knowledge and experience to help you with whatever legal challenge you and your family are facing.
The Anderson Hunter Law Firm is the largest private law firm in Snohomish County. We have been helping people in Washington State for decades. Our reputation for high quality legal services at a fair price is what separates us from the rest. Give us a call today and find out why Anderson Hunter has stood the test of time.