October 29, 2020

Three Issues A Family Law Attorney Can Help With -- Besides Divorce

If you're lucky, you'll never need a family law attorney; this is what a lot of us tend to think about that particular field of law. The issue with family law is that a lot of people associate it with a particularly toxic, personal kind of court battle that nobody wants to be involved with. Most prominently, family law attorneys are associated with divorce. And while divorce is certainly something that makes up a large part of the cases that these types of lawyers deal with, it's certainly not the only reason why you would visit an attorney that practices family law. With that being said, let's look into the different types of cases that you would turn to this type of lawyer for help with.

1. Child Custody Agreements

Child custody is really an issue that doesn't always have to do with divorce. Though divorce lawyers typically help their clients deal with child custody issues, you certainly don't have to be married, or even in a long-term relationship with someone, in order to have children with them. Child custody issues are sometimes even handled before a child is born, due to the parents being separated during the pregnancy. Furthermore, child custody issues may not involve parents at all, but rather guardians after a child is removed from their biological parents' custody. A good family law attorney can not only help parents or guardians determine initial child custody agreements but also amended agreements after alterations are needed. Child custody is a tricky issue, and can certainly be subject to strong emotions. It's important to have an experienced attorney at your side when you're attempting to determine child custody.

2. Prenuptial Agreements

What is a prenuptial agreement? Well, the topic remains a bit controversial among some, but it's really something that everyone should consider before getting married, especially if they are entering a marriage with considerable assets. A prenuptial agreement is a contract that both parties legally agree to prior to a marriage or civil union. It dictates how assets and other provisions will be allocated in the event of a divorce or breakup and essentially is meant to protect both parties and furthermore avoid some of the serious issues that can occur during a breakup or divorce. While some are offended by the idea of a prenuptial agreement, it can be particularly vital in states wherein divorce essentially splits spouses' assets automatically. With that being said, a postnuptial agreement is also an option for couples that married or entered a civil union without a prenuptial agreement.

3. Representation During Familial Conflicts

The fact is that there are a lot of issues that can lead to family members facing each other in court, which may be unique and lay outside of the obvious conflicts handled by a family law attorney. Some of these problems eventually lead to litigants in court. Lawyer services offered by attorneys working in family law certainly extend to representing those litigants and ensuring that they have their right protected and their cases heard to the best possible advantage.

With over 70,000 licensed attorneys available in Texas alone, you should have plenty of law offices to choose from if you need a family law attorney. Ultimately, you need to choose carefully, and work with a lawyer that you trust. This can make a big difference in terms of how your case ultimately works out.

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