Family law is a legal practice that deals with family issues. In the case of divorce, child custody, adoption, and other matters, the legal procedure has to be followed. If you are facing such issues, then you should visit a reputed family law office [ https://kerryfoxfamilylaw.com/] in your city and hire a family lawyer who can represent your case in family court proceedings. A family lawyer also helps you with drafting relevant legal documents, including property agreements or court petitions. A lawyer also plays a crucial role in negotiating with the other party. Some family lawyers also provide their services in paternity, adoption, emancipation, and other matters that are not related to separation.
The court decides the formal requirements for marriage, which also includes age, legal capacity, and rules / procedure for divorce, among other family matters. Here are a few terms regarding family law that you should know.
Marital Property:
Property acquired by either husband or wife during the period of marriage, which should be considered for division upon divorce.
Emancipation:
It is a legal process through which a minor becomes self-supporting and considered responsible for his or her welfare. And the individual no longer stays under parents’ care.
Alimony:
Alimony is the supporting amount decided by the court that one spouse has to pay to others during or after the couple is legally separated.
Prenuptial Agreement:
It is an agreement made up between husband and wife before their marriage, which includes giving up the future rights of each other’s property in case of death or divorce.
Why you should hire a family lawyer:
Most of the family lawyers are limited to represent their clients with divorce proceedings and related matters. However, family law covers a lot more than divorce. The family law practice areas also include foster care and reproductive rights. You should hire a trusted legal professional to ensure that you get proper representation in court and keep your rights protected.
You can take the help of a family attorney in the following cases:
Divorce:
Each partner needs help from an attorney for creating a proper settlement plan, which is vital to avoid a court trial. Family lawyers, with their experience, how to rightly divide marital properties. They know how to calculate spousal support and propose for child custody. You can also rely on your lawyer to get financial support (if applicable) from your spouse.
Paternity:
Usually, most paternity cases are filed by the mothers to ensure that their children get proper financial support from fathers. However, in some cases, biological fathers also file paternity cases in an attempt to make a relationship with their child.
Child custody and child support:
Child custody and child support are usually included in most settlement agreements by the court. However, if the condition changes, the contract can be revised. If there is a change in the financial situation of the non-custodial parent, the arrangement of child support may be altered.
Foster care and adoption:
Adoption is quite a complicated process and mostly depends on several factors, such as different state laws, where the child is from, etc. If you are planning for adoption, it is better that you take advice from your family law attorney. In many cases, foster parents adopt foster children, but there is no need for legal representation in the process.
Other Practice Areas of family lawyers:
Family law also intersects with a range of other legal practice areas, which are estate planning, mediation and collaborative law, and immigration and naturalization law. Family law also covers domestic violence and child abuse, which usually need criminal investigations and where family courts ensure that victims remain in a safe environment.
Summary:
You should visit a reputed family law office in Ottawa in case you are planning to file a divorce. No one else can represent your case better in the court than an experienced family lawyer. There are several law firms in Ottawa. You can take online reviews and ratings to find the one that can cater to your needs.
