Family can be one of the most important things in the world. Our lives are shaped by our loved ones in a thousand ways which bring both joy and challenges. We define ourselves by our relationship with our spouse and the strength of our child-rearing. But nurturing a marriage and raising children is not easy; it can get complicated and messy, especially at times when fate decides to deal out a bad hand.
No one sets out hoping to play out a messy breakup in court, and no one greets a newborn by looking forward to a protracted custody battle. But still, there are times that the problems in our closest relationships grow so complex and overwhelming that they cannot be settled without turning to the courts. When that happens, attorneys who practice family law are there to help.
What To Know About Family Law
Family law is that part of the law that impacts our closest relationships: the bond between spouses, the partnership between co-parents, and the precious, vital bond between children and their caregivers.
When people hear the term “family law,” they may immediately think of divorce court, with good reason! Family law attorneys can help you file for divorce, draft an antenuptial agreement (“prenup”), identify and divide marital assets, establish spousal support (alimony), and negotiate a separation or marital settlement agreement. Yet divorce is only one part of the field.
Family law also encompasses a wide range of legal issues affecting children, starting with who (legally) is a child’s parent? What, if any, rights are associated with that relationship? Family law includes the proceedings and/or agreements necessary to establish, change or terminate a parental relationship; these might include: surrogacy contracts, paternity suits, child support actions, adoptions, custody and visitation disputes, grandparent or third-party custody/visitation disputes, investigations by Child Protective Services into allegations of abuse or neglect, child in need of assistance (C.I.N.A) proceedings, petitions to terminate parental rights, and conception without consent cases.
What Makes a Good Family Law Attorney?
When intimate relationships become the subject of litigation, tensions run high. Few people enjoy having their marriage and/or parenting put to scrutiny by a stranger, much less in a public forum where the outcome can be life-altering. That’s why it’s critical to get an attorney who is knowledgeable, experienced, and possesses a high level of emotional intelligence.
Great attorneys are expert communicators who can convey complex information in a way clients can truly understand. A great family law attorney also knows how to listen to and guide clients going through incredible difficulty with patience and compassion, free of judgment. They know that every family is unique and worthy of respect and determined advocacy. A great family lawyer is cool-headed and provides strong, competent advocacy even when faced with an opponent’s uncouth or outrageous behavior.
Contact us at The Holland Law Firm if you need family law services. Jessica Lynn Russell runs our family law practice and is dedicated to fighting to achieve the best possible outcome for her clients.