US FAMILY LAW

Family law deals with family relations including divorce, adoption, paternity, child custody and support. Given the broad range of issues dealt with - from marriage, divorce & child custody to domestic abuse cases or caring for elderly parents - the law provides a diverse range of remedies. Families with problems may chose to seek relief from the courts or find an alternative means of resolution through mediation.

Typical family law matters include pre-marital advice and planning; child-related issues such as custody, support & visitation; divorce planning, negotiation and/or litigation involving support, spousal maintenance or division of property; and post decree modifications and enforcement.

Marriage and dissolution of marriage are regulated under each individual state's law. Before entering into a marriage, many people find themselves signing prenuptial agreements with legal terms and language. Filling for a legal separation or a divorce often requires many considerations for the distribution of property and support. The laws of your state will determine what procedures to take for any marriage issue.

Children are often a primary concern regardless of the nature of the parents' relationship. Upon divorce, many people seek assistance with child custody issues. Despite the existence of a legal relationship between the parents, they often need assistance with child support and visitation issues. Further, family members of a child concerned with the child's well being may wish to pursue guardianship or an alternate means of custody.

Family law practices are usually limited to small & mid-sized private law firms. Some public service agencies, such as Legal Aid Societies, will represent indigent clients in family law matters.

Those engaged in a family law practice are very skilled counselors and negotiators, whose success is often dependent upon their ability to demonstrate genuine concern and compassion for their clients.

Family law often involves trial work, and can overlap with many other areas of law such as tax and estate planning, real estate, corporate and finance, contract, and criminal.