Family law deals with a variety of different legal matters such as divorce and adoption and in certain cases, estate planning, business law, and real estate law. Because of the many different areas family law can cover, the term family law is simply an umbrella practice area that deals with whatever legal issues families or family members are involved in. While family law covers a plethora of legal practice areas, divorce issues are one of the most common practice areas for family law attorneys. Below are four most common legal issues surrounding divorce.
Child Custody
When a couple separates, one of the most difficult issues to handle is what happens to minor children. Child custody is an agreement in which both parents have to live with the terms therein. Child custody incorporates two subfields—legal custody and physical custody. Legal custody refers to the right of the respective parents to make major life decisions for their minor children, like which school to attend, religious decisions, and which doctors to see. Physical custody refers to where the children will live and how much time they will spend with each parent.
Child Support
Child support, while not as important as child custody, is typically a topic of divorce cases. Most child support issues will be figured out before a divorce is final. However, these issues may be revisited as conditions change. For instance, child support may change if the non-custodial parent’s financial situation changes.
Division of Assets and Property
When a couple separates, the person making more money or acquiring more property during the life of the marriage will usually have to share the assets they acquired with their ex-spouse. Further, both spouses have an equal right to the home the couple lives in, even if only one person owns or rents the property.
Prenuptial Agreements
A prenuptial agreement is a vital document for any couple to create. A separation or divorce is easier to execute if the terms of the split are already decided upon. Finally, a couple should always strive to agree to terms that are reasonable and fair to both parties. Terms set up like this are more likely to be enforceable than terms that create a significant imbalance between parties. A DC family law attorney is crucial to achieving this goal when prenuptial agreements are written. The reason for this is one party will almost always attempt to get disproportionality favorable terms.
Final Thoughts
The main goal of a family law attorney should be to help both parties avoid litigation or help a family quickly move through their legal issue. With over 20 years of experience helping clients with their DC family law issues, Antonoplos & Associates family law attorneys have the knowledge required to help you through any family law issues you may have.
Contact Our DC Law Office for More Information
Finally, for more information on the four most common legal issues surrounding divorce, contact us at 202-803-5676. You can also directly schedule a consultation with one of our skilled attorneys. Additionally, for general information regarding family law, check out our blog.