As much as you love your family, things are not always easy to deal with on the home front. There are times in life when legal help can navigate the tough world of personal relationships. Here are three times in your life when it is likely you will seek out the advice of a good family lawyer.
Families all have their difficulties. Sometimes those downs are passing phases, and sometimes they are permanent feuds. Seeking the advice of a family attorney can help stop situations escalating. When things are past the point of reparation, the family lawyer can represent your interests and your assets. They offer support and guidance at tough times in your life. Yet still, most people cannot imagine a situation where they ever might depend upon one.
Three Main Events to Make You Hire a Family Attorney
With this disbelief in mind, let us examine the three primary reasons people turn to family lawyers throughout their lives. Remember, family law is a specific branch of the law. It shouldn’t be confused with workplace situations or accident claims.
1 – Divorce
The CDC estimate that 5.1% of the population will marry, and 2.3% of those will end in divorce. Almost half. Utah has one of the lowest divorce rates overall, at 3.3 per 1,000 people. Are you looking for family law attorney Utah for another reason? It is perfectly natural to seek out legal help if you need it. There should be no shame in representing your own needs in a dispute. Often, those that tell you not to hire a lawyer are those that stand to lose out if you do. Asides from divorce, seeking legal help in a domestic violence case is the correct thing to do.
2 – Family Documentation
A lawyer can help you with family documentation. Any legal documents you must file, and sign are easier to finish with a lawyer present. There are many situations in life where you need to file important documents that you do not necessarily understand yourself. These include:
- Becoming a guardian – if you take legal responsibility for another family member, you need to file the paperwork to do so.
- Adopting a child
- Writing your will
- Mapping your estate
- If you need to take power of attorney over an older relative, you need the documentation.
- Entering a civil partnership
3 – Child Custody Battles
When couples do go through with the divorce, there can be children at the center of the dispute. Those children could have a happy, healthy, uninterrupted childhood with a smooth transition period. Although they will be upset, hiring a lawyer to negotiate from the outset stops your emotional involvement in the situation. If you think you cannot communicate with your ex-partner without becoming upset, then do not do it. Hire a family lawyer to do your talking and set up a clear visitation program. Co-custody parenting is completely valid.
It is when child custody disputes become emotionally charged that they become difficult. Keep your child’s best interests at heart and have a family attorney speak on your behalf. It never hurts to have a trusted lawyer on your side to help you through those substantial changes in life.
