Resolving family issues like divorce, adoption, and domestic violence requires the assistance and guidance of a professional and qualified family lawyer. A family law attorney acts as a mediator between the two parties. With their knowledge and advice, you can expect hassle-free legal proceedings.
When Do You Need To Hire A Family Law Attorney?
The work profile of a family lawyer is wide and includes the following:-
Marriage And Divorce –
These have a host of potential issues. Some of the common issues that marriage and divorce cases entail are:
- Annulment – It legally dissolves the marriage by treating it as if it never existed. It is possible in all cases but most, but this usually happens in case of bigamy, underage or forced marriage. Annulments take place in the early days of marriage.
- Prenuptial Agreements – Many couples are now opting for this agreement which has all the details of the property and income of their partners. It enlists the distribution of assets in case the marriage fails and requires the involvement of the lawyers of both the parties, i.e. husband and wife.
- Divorce – In most cases, a family lawyer is hired by couples seeking a divorce.
- Alimony – It is also known as spousal support. It is the amount that one spouse pays to the other after the divorce is finalized. Alimony is paid in cases where the income and assets of one spouse are more than the other.
Child Support And Child Custody –
A family law attorney is going to help you with this. They have the expertise in handling the cases in the following categories:
- Child custody – In this, the custody of the child is decided. The lawyer represents the case and helps the client get custody. They also negotiate on the visitation hours.
- Child support – By law, the noncustodial parents must support the child’s expenses. They have to pay a certain amount for this. The family court decides this amount.
Adoption –
A family law attorney will also help in child adoption. They will be helpful in the case of agency adoption, private adoption, and identified adoptions.
Domestic Violence –
You can also hire a family lawyer to handle cases of domestic violence. They will not just help you deal with the police but also keep you and your family safe.
Are You Paying The Family Lawyer?
If you are hiring a family lawyer, then you must hire only an experienced and qualified lawyer. They must have the knowledge and expertise. Besides, you must also know about their fees. The common fee structure followed by the family lawyers in Australia include:
- Hourly rate – This is the most common fee structure. The lawyer is going to charge you on a per-hour basis. This charge may vary from one area to the other and also according to the expertise and experience of the lawyer. So you must speak to the lawyer and clear the air around the fees structure before hiring them.
- Flat fee – For simpler cases, the lawyer is going to charge a flat fee.
The Variation In The Legal Fee Depends On The Following:
- Experience of the lawyer
- The complexity of the case
- The cost involved in the case and the lawyer’s overhead
Hiring The Best Lawyer For Your Case: Here Is What You Should Consider–
If you are hiring a lawyer, you must only look for an experienced layer of high repute. Asking the following questions is going to be helpful in this:
- For how long have you been practicing family law?
- Have you dealt with a similar case in the past?
- What expertise do you bring to my case?
- What are your charges?
Wrapping It Up!!!
These are some of the key aspects that you need to consider when hiring a family lawyer. You can contact an individual or a legal firm for this. But, make sure that the lawyer should be registered and experienced. Handling family cases like divorce or child custody can be emotionally turbulent, but with the help of an experienced lawyer, you can easily strive through this.
Tags: Child CustodyDomestic Violencefamily law attorneyMarriage and Divorce