How a Family Law Attorney Can Help in a Divorce?

by Kevin Smith Author

Going through a divorce is a stressful process. If you and your spouse have decided to end your marriage, you need someone on your side who can advocate for your interests and make sure you receive a fair settlement. A family law attorney can handle all of the necessary paperwork and assist in negotiations.

Family law is a broad area of practice that encompasses many matters related to family relations. Individuals often hire a family law attorney in Carrollton, GA, to represent them in divorce cases and to negotiate settlements related to division of assets, alimony, child custody, visitation, and child support.

How a Family Law Attorney Can Help with Financial Matters

Many couples have joint bank accounts, jointly-owned homes and vehicles, joint retirement accounts, and other communal property. If they did not enter into a prenuptial agreement that specified how those assets were to be divided in the event of a divorce, that issue needs to be worked out by the spouses and their attorneys. A family law attorney will consider premarital assets, property that was acquired during the marriage, the contributions of both parties, and other factors to arrive at an equitable distribution of property.

If one spouse worked and the other did not, the non-working spouse may request alimony. That is a series of payments, often for a specified period of time, that the spouse who worked agrees to provide to support the non-working spouse until he or she finds a job, the children start school, or circumstances change in some other way.

A Family Law Attorney Can Help with Issues Related to Children

For couples with children, divorces can get complicated. If both parents want custody, they need to work out an arrangement in which custody is shared in a reasonable and equitable way. A family law attorney will listen to all of the relevant facts and work with his or her client, the client’s spouse, and the spouse’s attorney to arrive at a custody arrangement that is fair to all parties and is in the best interests of the children. This may mean that one parent has physical custody and the other has visitation, or in some cases children may split their time equally between two homes.

If one parent has primary custody and the other has visitation rights, the noncustodial parent generally pays child support. A family law attorney will consider the financial circumstances of both parties and work with the other attorney to arrive at a payment amount and schedule that is deemed fair and reasonable.

Call a Family Law Attorney If You Need Help with a Divorce

The end of a marriage is an unfortunate but common occurrence. If you are thinking about getting a divorce, you need an experienced attorney who can make sure you and your spouse reach a fair settlement that includes a reasonable distribution of assets, as well as alimony, a custody arrangement, a visitation schedule, and child support, if applicable. A family law attorney in Carrollton, GA, can provide assistance with all of these matters.