services
Family Law
Family law encompasses different legal concepts and challenges. We work hard to help you find solutions consistent with your own needs and circumstances. Relationships are complicated. Families come in all shapes and sizes: Some are traditional with children, and others are not. People may be living in a relationship for a while and own property together.
When faced with a significant change in your relationship, such as your partner moving out, what are your options? Have you just been served with some request and need to act quickly? More questions will likely come up such as what about the children, who gets the house, how can I afford to support myself, or what are the next steps I can take to protect myself, and what is the process? Call us to discuss your particular situation; we work hard to fashion the best approach to your concerns. Our firm provides full legal representation, from case evaluation through final agreement or trial. We have mediation services as well as collaborative law options. We provide drafting assistance for unbundled work. We are experienced, empathetic, and adept at problem solving. Most importantly, we are here to listen and to navigate options, and to provide advice and guidance.
We help with the following family law areas:
Divorce, Legal Separation, Committed Intimate Relationship (CIR):
- Complex property issues, maintenance (alimony), business issues and retirement
- Concerns regarding children, domestic violence/ abuse allegations and protection orders
Establishment of a parenting plan, paternity, and support for the children:
- Establishment of a residential schedules and holiday time, parenting plans, interstate disputes, UCCJEA jurisdictional concerns
- Modification of a parenting plan and relocations
- Immediate assistance with emergent concerns regarding parenting time with a parent, restraining orders
- Child support and questions regarding post-secondary expenses
Other matters: contempt, enforcement, reconsideration, mediation, and other legal remedies available depending upon your case facts.
Estate Planning, Probate And Adult/Minor Guardianships
One part of life is that we must make plans for what will happen once we are no longer here. We help people create plans for the distribution of their assets and cherished mementos. Also, we can help provide documents to clarify health care decisions and powers of attorney for incapacity. We also represent families in the probate process.
Probate
Probate is a procedure where a person passes with or without a will. Making sure you have a will is key to ensure your assets pass as you direct. If a person passes without a will or trust (or variation thereof) the court will be involved with the estate administration. Or perhaps there are disputes about a will or trust that need Court intervention. These legal actions are heard in the context of a probate proceeding.
Estate Planning
Planning for your future can be daunting, something that we like to put off and not think about. It can be emotionally difficult to sit down and take time to actively think about what we want to happen to our assets when we pass, or become incapacitated, and who should get what. Things to consider include who will administer your estate, and should the house be sold or passed down to family members? Are there mementos you wan to make sure go to specific people, or a charitable organization that you’d like to support? Do the beneficiaries in your investment, retirement and insurance policies accurately reflect your intended recipients?
The estate planning process may include making a will, drafting a power of attorney, making a health care directive, or creating a trust. All these options should be considered as part of your estate planning for long term distribution of your assets pursuant to your wishes.
Guardianships
These actions are generally sought when a person no longer has capacity to make decisions or care for themselves without assistance. There are adult guardianships, conservatorships (helping with an incapacitated person’s money), and there are minor guardianships. Other actions included in these types of proceedings are vulnerable adult protection orders. When you need help with an elder family member, contact us to see how we can help.
Minor Guardianships
When a parent cannot provide parenting functions or care for a child and is unfit (this is a legal term) for a significant reason (substance abuse, abuse, death of a parent, significant illness, etc.), a person can ask the court to become a guardian for a minor by seeking a minor guardianship. These actions can be for a very short period of time, qualifying as an emergency minor guardianship, or sought for a longer period until a child becomes 18. These are complicated proceedings with many variables and exceptions so when you have questions about providing care for a child when a parent cannot provide such care, contact us and we can discuss your circumstances.
Other Areas:
- We also provide assistance and counsel in the following areas:
- Adoptions (stepparent, second parent)
- Surrogacy and birth adoptions
- Hague Removal/Return Proceedings
- International Family Law Cases
- Collaborative Law Representation
- Mediation Services
- Arbitration Services
- Dependency (Respondent parent representation)
- Unbundled Services/ Limited Appearances
