Family Law Topics

Have you ever wondered what a family law attorney does? It's certainly an overarching description of a legal professional. However, if you fall into the category of those who think family law attorneys simply deal with messy court-related divorce proceedings, you're in for a surprise. In fact, most family law practitioners want to keep individuals out of court and free from the stress of any kind of an emotionally heated separation.

The most responsible family law attorneys make certain that their clients' legal family needs are met efficiently and effectively. They also try to arrange settlements instead of court dates.

The needs covered by family law professionals include, but are not limited to, the following.

Divorce – When a couple agrees that a divorce is best, a family law attorney is an invaluable resource. Whether the divorce is difficult or amicable, a family law professional can ensure that all proceedings go smoothly. He or she can also operate as a "referee" if needed during heated discussions.

Adoption – For couples or individuals looking to adopt a child, hiring a family law attorney who specializes in adoption proceedings (especially those from the country from which the child is being adopted) can make the process run smoothly. Too many couples think they can just "go it alone", only to hire a family law attorney later in "the game".

Child Custody & Support – Unfortunately, a result of the 50% divorce rate Americans (and some other countries' citizens) are known for are child custody and support battles. A good family law lawyer will help make a very difficult process much easier for everyone involved.

DNA Paternity Testing – With the advent of DNA testing, fathers can now be assured that a child is indeed their own. This can help them with child support issues as well as allow them the personal freedom to bond with their child. Family law attorneys who specialize in DNA paternity testing are popping up because of this field.

Wills – A family law attorney can help you ensure that a will is completely legal and kept up-to-date. After all, as family dynamics change, so do wills; a family law professional will help you every step of the way.

If you are looking for excellent representation from a knowledgeable family law attorney, please contact our office today. We'll stand by you and your family for years to come with fair and ethical legal advice and assistance.

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Family Law News

The issue of child support payment problems is one that makes headlines again and again. Perhaps it's the fascination of looking at a proverbial "train wreck" - many people just cannot turn away from the devastation that is caused when a child support case is in the news.

However, Georgia has decided to try to fix the child custody wreck by using the Internet as a friend.

To be sure, there are many problems with child support, and one of the main ones is how in the world the money gets from one parent to the other. In 2006 in Atlanta, the state of Georgia decided to make paying child support as easy as paying any other monthly or weekly bill.

In fact, that state's Department of Human Resources is trying to encourage the courts to use methods like automatic withdrawal from savings or checking accounts to ensure that the custodial parent is paid the child support he or she is owed.

Of course, in Georgia, as in all states, an employer can "garnish" the wages of an employee who owes child support. But sometimes the parent doesn't work for an employer. Thus, as in the case of a self-employed person, the automatic withdrawal system seems to be a better fit to ensure that child support payments are sent on time.

The advent of the Internet has also made Georgians who want to revamp child support processes sit up and take notice. By using email alerts and reminders, they hope to make sure that all child support payments and court dates are met in an effort to stem the tide of "deadbeat" moms and dads. They feel it's an important way to use the new technology of cyberspace to enforce laws.

The email alerts can also free up people working in public health offices, who often get phone calls from parents who never received their child support checks. This way, the custodial parents may simply be able to have the payments put into a checking or savings account on a specific date, thus eliminating their need to wait for a check and then cash it at the bank.

By solving a few of the child custody related problems, advocates of family law rights everywhere will have a better way to enforce payments and ensure that the courts are not tied up with complaints over deadbeat parents who never came through with the monies they owed the mother or father of their child.

Family Law Statistics

The family law statistics of the American populace are truly eye-opening, especially when it comes to the area of divorce. For instance, check out the family law statistics below as culled by Divorce Magazine from reputable sources such as the National Center for Health Statistics and U.S. Census Bureau.

Some notable family law statistics...

Total annual divorces granted in 1997: 1.1 million
Percentage of population that is divorced (2002): 10%
Median ages of first divorce (2002): males - 30.5 years; females - 29 years
Median ages of second divorce (2002): males - 39.3 years; females - 37 years
Percentage of first marriages that ended in divorce (1997): 50%
Percentage of remarriages that ended in divorce (1997): 60%
Average length of divorce proceedings (1997): 1 year
Number of children in new divorces (1997): 1 million

What do these family law statistics mean to us as American citizens? Plenty. First of all, even though some of the family law statistics are from the latter half of the 20th century, rest assured that not much has changed today. In fact, it's likely that you already know at least one, if not many, divorced individuals.

With so many persons marrying, divorcing, and remarrying, the notion of family stability has changed dramatically over the past few generations. Now, children have grandparents, grandparents-in-law, step-brothers and sisters, and a whole host of relatives from the various relationships in which their parents have engaged.

The family law statistics are a perfect example of why, when you need a family law attorney, you need someone who knows what the family law statistics are and stays current with family law issues. You need someone who understands the family law statutes of limitations for your state; you also need someone who takes his or her work seriously and professionally.

Family law is a type of lawyering that is unlikely to go away anytime soon. And although family law attorneys do not focus simply on divorce, as the family law statistics noted above show, divorce is likely to be a common are for them.

If you are looking for a family law representative who will honor your decisions and treat your case with the care it deserves, contact our team of legal professionals today. We hire attorneys who are devoted to their practice of law, and who remain "up" on the latest family law statistics and news items. We'll work hard for you and make sure that if you are headed for a divorce, your proceedings go as smoothly as possible.

Family Law Statute of Limitations

If you plan on contacting a family law practitioner, it would behoove you to learn the family law statutes of limitations governing the type of family law with which you need assistance.

For instance, the family law statutes of limitations for divorce or adoption will be different than those family law statutes of limitations covering domestic abuse situations.

If you're not familiar with the term, a basic way to look at the family law statutes of limitations (or any statutes of limitations, for that matter), is a time limit within which you can make a legal claim. It's as if the clock begins "running" as soon as the occurrence starts; if you don't file a grievance or lawsuit before the timer buzzes, you'll be out of luck, because the family law statutes of limitations in your case will have passed.

The family law statutes of limitations will vary from state to state. That means getting a divorce in California may be much different than getting a divorce in a neighboring state, such as Nevada or Oregon. Because there are such statewide variants when it comes to family law statutes of limitations, it's critical to hire a legal professional with knowledge of the family law statutes of limitations of wherever you reside. (Or where you resided when your family law-related injury, marriage, divorce, or other occurrence took place.)

Due to the many variables in family law statutes of limitations, our team of legal professionals goes above and beyond to investigate and learn all the statutes that we can. Thus, when you choose our attorneys as your legal representatives for your family law needs, you can rest assured that we will be well-educated in the family law statutes of limitations for your particular case (or cases.)

We pride ourselves on knowing the ins and outs of family law, and we'll do our best to make sure that what can often be a difficult process (as in the case of a child custody battle or alimony requests) is as easy as possible for you. After all, just because family law can be "messy", doesn't mean that you have to feel overwhelmed. When you hire one of our attorneys, you'll have chosen someone who will work for you and take on your case with efficiency and care. That's our promise.

Call us today to set up a no-obligation consultation.