3 Things You Need To Know About Family Law

Family issues can be complex, emotional, and highly sensitive. They involve personal relationships and affect your children, finances, property, and future. When you are faced with a family law issue, it is important to have the right information. It also makes sense to seek the help of an experienced family law attorney who can guide you through this process as smoothly as possible. This article discusses three things you need to know about family law.

Parents Have Responsibilities Towards Their Children

Although most parents think they have a right to live with their children and continue to have their children live with them, they are often surprised to find out that the courts take a different view. Parents do not automatically have the right to continue living in an intact family unit when there is a conflict between them and other people who claim rights over one of the children. The law presumes that it is in a child's best interests to have as much contact with each of their parents as possible.

You may lose the custody of your child if you do not meet your parental responsibilities. These include providing a home for the child, maintaining regular contact with the child when possible, and ensuring that any scheduled parenting time is followed in accordance with any court orders. If your spouse isn't helping out with anything at all, seek assistance from a family lawyer and ask for a court order. It will be necessary to show the judge that your spouse is not complying with their legal responsibilities.

All Assets and Liabilities You Own Are Included in the Shared Property Pool

If you or your spouse have filed for a divorce, you should include your assets and liabilities in the shared property pool. It doesn't matter whether you acquired it before or after the marriage. The judge will consider everything, so it's best to be honest.

If you want the judge to consider your assets and liabilities separately from those of your spouse, you should indicate which ones are yours before filing for a divorce. A lawyer can help you do this by creating an inventory or list of all property in either name (yours or joint) that has been acquired during the marriage. However, if you and your spouse can agree on dividing everything, including any assets or liabilities that aren't in common ownership, you can settle the matter out of court.

A Family Lawyer Can Negotiate for Better Deals

If you and the other party can agree on your own, a lawyer may not be needed. However, if negotiations fail or there is no willing compromise, you need to bring in the big guns — someone specializing in family law. A good family lawyer will help you get what you want without taking too much from your opponent.

Family law is about more than just your marriage. It is also about your children and property. If you have any concerns, seek a family law law firm like Ward & Myers LLP.