subject: Family Lawyers: Why You Need Them In During Your Divorce [print this page] If you and your spouse have decided to call it quits, both you and they will likely want to get an attorney. Going at it alone can draw things out and make things difficult. Its likely that neither of you will know what youre doing on your own so filing yourselves is probably out of the question (unless either of you have a law degree). Besides a divorce lawyer, family lawyers may also be needed. Below, we will take a look at several reasons why you might need this type of attorney and when hiring one is a good idea.
a. There are kids involved: If you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse have children, it may be necessary to hire family lawyers. These professionals can help work out visitation arrangements and deal with issues of custody. It is not required that you hire this type of attorney but it is sometimes recommended, especially if the proceedings might get contentious.
However, you dont have to have a fight on your hands in order to make this type of hire. Simply looking out for the best interests of the children may require that you at least speak with representation of this kind. It is always better to have all of your bases covered than to find out too late that they werent. Also, keep in mind that if your spouse has hired a family lawyer, they will likely have an advantage over you.
b. There might be a fight for the kids: Sometimes divorces get nasty. In a spirit of vindictiveness, a parent who has never taken much interest in the kids may suddenly want full-custody. This is can be a problem for the spouse who was initially the primary caregiver and who would be best in this capacity. When this is the case, family lawyers may have to be hired so that the kids life arent turned upside down during the divorce process.
Breaking up is always hard to do. However, dont make it harder than it has to be. Being adequately protected can make things so much easier. Finding out after the fact, that your soon-to-be ex-spouse has hired the representation necessary to get full custody or a custody arrangement you dont agree with can be devastating. One of the only ways to avoid this is to make sure that you hire the people necessary to keep it from happening. Family lawyers can be invaluable when it comes to issues of custody. They can help determine which parent gets what in terms of custodial and visitation rights. Its almost always better, when possible, to deal with such issues during the initial divorce proceedings then trying to reverse a judges orders later on.
