Everyone is familiar with the type of lawyer that you need to contact if you are charged with a DUI. But what type of law covers estate planning, adoptions and divorce? That would fall under the practice of family law. So what is family law? Family law is the part of civil law that deals with the legal aspects of intimate relationships. Family law is an area of the practice of law that encompasses a number of topics, involving marriage, children, elder and estate planning law. To provide a better understanding of what family law entails, let’s discuss a few of the common types of cases that Indiana family law attorneys represent.
Divorce
Unfortunately, half of all marriages end in divorce. Because that is the case, divorce is an activity that is frequently a staple area of a large quantity Indiana family law practices. Couples who have not gone through the divorce process often still want to legally protect themselves by filing for legal separation, a process through which they’ll create temporary plans for things like child custody and property division. Family lawyers also handle annulments, which essentially erase the marriage and state that the marriage has never occurred, legally speaking.
Child Custody
Another aspect of family law address child custody and child support. Child Custody decisions determine where and with whom the child lives. In some cases, courts have been known to award joint physical custody. In a joint physical custody situation, the child spends an equal share of time with both parents. Family courts also have a history of awarding one parent primary physical custody while at the same time allowing the other parent visitation rights, but these are just two of many possible arrangements.
Child Support
Child support is when a noncustodial parent is ordered to pay a set dollar amount to the parent who has primary custody of the child. The money paid for child support is solely intended to meet the financial needs of raising the child. Courts consider a variety of factors when calculating child support which include the following:
- Income of each parent
- Any special financial requirements the child might have
- The child’s standard of living prior to the divorce or separation
Adoptions
Also falling under the family law umbrella is that area of adoptions. The job of an adoption attorney is to help clients navigate the complex legal processes for bringing a child into their family. Adoptions come in many different forms which include:
- Open adoptions
- Closed adoptions
- Domestic Infant
- Waiting Child
- Private Agency
- Public Agency
- International adoptions
Adoption is the chance for a family to provide love, personal care and stability, allowing a child to lead a fruitful and thriving life.
Family Law Issues Require Professionals
Because of the personal nature of family law, skilled legal professionals are required to successfully represent clients best. If you are in need of an Indiana family law professional, give us a call at [nap_phone id=”LOCAL-CT-NUMBER-1″] as soon as possible. We are here and ready to help.
***Please note: This page is not intended to give specific legal advice but is meant for information purposes only. Contact us to discuss your case***