If you are in a distressing marriage and want to divorce your partner or are divorced and want to hold your ex-spouse accountable for some of their obligations, hiring a divorce lawyer can help you resolve your problem. The process of filing for divorce, or claiming alimony or child custody, is quite complicated and may take time if you handle it on your own. Hiring a lawyer is the fastest way to handle these legal issues. Here are some of the services offered by family lawyers.
Separation Agreement
Some couples get separated before they decide to go ahead with a divorce. The separation helps them determine whether they have irreconcilable differences or whether there are issues they can agree on. In a separation agreement, the obligations of each spouse are laid out. A divorce lawyer will help you push for the rules that you want your spouse to follow. A separation agreement helps you save your marriage, and it is better to have a lawyer by your side.
Alimony
Alimony is the amount of money that your former spouse pays after the divorce. Alimony is made to a spouse who has no source of income. This settlement is meant to help you with your living expenses. In some cases, a former spouse may refuse to pay alimony. If you are facing such a situation, a divorce lawyer can help you hold your former spouse accountable for alimony payments and claim any unpaid amounts.
Child Custody
The main bone of contention in many divorce cases is child custody. In custody cases, the court will rule based on the best interest of the child. For minors, it is likely that the court will give the mother full custody. However, there are cases where the court grants shared custody. If your former spouse violates the terms of the custody agreement, you can hire a divorce lawyer to make them accountable.
Child Support
In cases where you gain full child custody, your former spouse is required to make payments that go towards the upbringing of the child. Child support payments are made to cater to the health, education, and general wellbeing of the child. If your former spouse defaults on child support payments, a family lawyer can help you bring them to justice.
Summing It Up
If you are thinking of divorcing your partner or are divorced but you are unsatisfied by the terms of the divorce, you should hire a lawyer to help with your situation. Family lawyers play a significant role not only during divorce proceedings but also after a divorce. These professionals are also crucial during the drafting of settlement agreements. Divorce lawyers also ensure that the terms of a divorce are withheld by helping you with claims for alimony, child support, and child custody.