What Does a Family Law Attorney Do?

According to the American Bar Association, there are 1.3 million lawyers currently practicing in the US. About 8,581 of these lawyers are currently serving in Utah. Of the many types of legal professionals, family law attorneys are among the most relied upon. They deal with the difficult issues that may arise involving divorce, child custody, adoption, and more.

If you are currently facing a divorce and child custody battle, you need to work with an experienced family law attorney. Brown Family Law is a team of compassionate family lawyers who have successfully helped guide many clients through the process of family law cases. We will always fight for the best interests of your kids by making their safety our #1 priority.

Take the fear out of getting a divorce by calling Brown Family Law today at (801) 685-9999. Our team is available 24/7 for a comprehensive legal consultation on your case.

What Types of Cases Do Family Law Attorneys Handle?

Family law is a type of legal service that deals specifically with family relationships. Family law attorneys specialize in this specific area of law and can represent whole families or individuals

The areas of family law can include:

  • Adoption
  • Marriage
  • Marital property
  • Divorce proceedings
  • Legal separation
  • Foster children
  • Child abuse
  • Child custody
  • Child support
  • Spousal support
  • Prenuptial agreements
  • Postnuptial agreements
  • Emancipation
  • Paternity

A family law attorney will also have the job of representing his or her clients in negotiations and drafting paperwork. This paperwork can be anything from property agreements to court petitions and requests on behalf of the client. The following is a list of specific areas where family attorneys can be especially helpful.

Divorce

When two people get married, they are essentially signing a contract between them. The actual marriage can be looked at as a legal ceremony where this contract is agreed upon. 

When a divorce happens, it is literally the dissolution of that marital contract. Each individual partner will need to call a law firm to hire his or her own family lawyer – or agree to mediate with the help of one lawyer. A spouse may insist on certain legal rights and thus require his or her own family law attorney to negotiate the differences.

From there, the legal process can be fairly simple or incredibly complex. The family lawyer may offer his or her client advice on how to handle the divorce process. This can involve property agreements, child custody, postnuptial agreements, parental rights, and more. 

A family law lawyer can help you receive everything you deserve during your divorce case, including:

Pre- and postnuptial agreements

Some engaged couples work out many legal aspects of their marriage before tying the knot. This is called a prenuptial agreement. To work out these details, a family law lawyer may be hired to ensure everything is set up correctly. This can mean that each party protects themselves before the marriage even begins by outlining who gets what in case a divorce happens.

A postnuptial agreement is simply an agreement on important decisions made after a couple is already married. This is more common with matters related to legal issues such as custody and children. That is because custody matters cannot be agreed on in a prenuptial agreement, so these must be resolved afterward.

Alimony

One of the more divisive family law matters involves alimony. Divorcing spouses often have different ideas on which party should have to pay alimony. Child support is one thing, but spousal support is something else altogether. This family law matter is very important because a divorce can leave someone in poverty without this support.

Court orders from a judge will determine whether alimony should be an option and how much should be paid. This is determined by several factors, which is why hiring a family law attorney is important. This is especially true if the other spouse is resisting paying anything. Your lawyer will do what is in the best interests of his or her client, including requesting alimony and doing the necessary paperwork.

Some factors that can determine alimony can include:

  • Your ability to work
  • How much money you make
  • Whether you contributed to a family-owned business
  • How much debt you jointly accumulated
  • Conduct of the divorcing spouses, including whether domestic violence is involved

Child custody

Child custody battles can be the most intense and traumatic situation for everyone involved. These stressful situations need to be handled delicately and with the best interests of the children in mind. Since parents are not likely to agree on what to do with the kids, then the share of child custody is usually decided by the judge. Family courts have the unenviable task of deciding which parent has full custody.

Family relationships can be strained to the max, which is where a family law attorney can help by representing the client in the best light possible to show how he or she deserves full child custody. The path forward will not be easy, so you should not attempt to handle it on your own.

Areas in which family law attorneys can help in a custody case can include:

  • Home stability
  • Which parent has the greatest bond with the child
  • Adoption
  • Foster parents
  • Paternity cases

Child support

Child support is another important area of family law. Most states have their own ways of deciding how child support will be distributed. Family law lawyers can represent clients to ensure the children are taken care of regardless of who has custody. 

For example, if there is an absent father who refuses to pay, the court can take the necessary steps to force him to do so. There may even be instances of a parent failing to reveal all his or her resources and hiding money in order to avoid paying as much child support.

Family lawyers can look into the following to estimate the proper amount of child support to be provided:

  • Health care expenses
  • Accurate income reports
  • Allowable deductions
  • Intentional unemployment
  • Underreported income 

Adoption

Family lawyers are not just available for a divorce decree or to fight for custody. They can also help when it comes to happy moments, like when a family decides they want to become parents by adopting a child. Adoption is not an easy process and can be quite complex. Your goal will be to finalize the adoption as soon as possible and with minimal disruption.

Attorneys can make the adoption process as easy as possible for everyone involved. This can include guiding the family through the process and ensuring all the paperwork is completed and turned in.  

Neglect and abuse

If there is ongoing neglect and child abuse going on, contacting a family law practice is recommended. The safety of children should always be everyone’s priority. 

Dealing with domestic violence or neglect can be devastating. Going through the court to find an alternative means of raising kids safely may be the best way to handle this type of situation.

Call Our Compassionate Family Lawyers Serving Salt Lake City and All Utah

Family law attorneys are an important part of our divorce system. They do everything from protecting children to helping divorcing spouses avoid poverty. While family situations can be messy, your attorney is there to defend your rights to the fullest. Whether you are facing a difficult court case or need to resolve your divorce, call Brown Family Law today.

Our family law attorneys have decades of combined legal experience handling delicate situations. Whatever you are going through, we understand the implications of the outcome of your case. Our goal is to offer our clients the ultimate peace of mind while maximizing the time they get to spend with their kids.

Contact Brown Family Law today at (801) 685-9999 for a legal consultation about your case. Our family law attorneys are available 24/7 at your convenience.

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I cannot say enough good about my experience with Brown Family Law. Ray Hingson and paralegal Carren did an excellent job with my case. I will definitely use this firm again for any legal issues.
I have worked with Andrew Christensen many times in a variety of situations. I am very impressed with his friendly demeanor in a difficult situation. I would highly recommend him to you without any reservations.
Highly recommend Brown Family Law. Life is hard, divorce is harder, and Andrew Christensen is your guy to help you through to the other side.
When you’re going through a tough time and need legal help, this firm isn’t just a one-person operation. It’s a team of attorneys who work together to support you every step of the way. So you’re not just getting a lawyer, you’re getting a legal team behind you.

Navigating the legal system was a steep learning curve for me, and my situation was fairly complex. What stood out about this law firm was the way multiple attorneys collaborated to address my case. It wasn’t just one person working in isolation, but a team supporting each other to find the best path forward. That kind of collective effort is a real strength, especially in hard out complex situations like mine.

There was one issue I felt should have had a different outcome with the court. When I brought it up, the team responded in a very professional and respectful manner, which I truly appreciated. It came to my understanding that the legal system sometimes works in a way that is distant than I thought. This was presented to me in a way that someone outside of the legal system could understand.

In my experience, this firm takes the time to not only assist you, but also help you understand why things are happening. That made a big difference for me, and it’s something that really sets them apart.
Response from the owner:David, thank you for our conversation and taking the time to leave this review.
My experience with Jennifer and Brown Family Law was nothing short of amazing. From the very beginning of my initial consultation all the through until my case was settled, I was well taken care of and updated every step of the way. I felt like my team genuinely cared about the outcome of my case, which was refreshing. You get what you pay for, and Brown Family was worth every penny. To say I highly recommend this group is an understatement.
Response from the owner:Thank you very much, Steve. Glad Jennifer took good care of you.
Andrew Christensen was a great divorce lawyer. He is very experienced, professional, and was great to work with during this difficult process.
Response from the owner:Casey, thank you and so glad Andrew served you well.
Made my divorce quick and painless. 5 months ago I was feeling very overwhelmed. There was legal issues with protective orders, my ex wife had taken my kids to another country without my consent, I was in way over my head. After speaking with brown law they calmed my nerves took over my case. A few video calls and 5 months later my divorce is finalized with a fair outcome for everyone. It was easy and stress fee, it didn’t even feel like I was going through a divorce.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much, Brian. Sorry you went through all of that, but glad we were able to help.
Jennifer was excellent! She was always responsive and kept me updated on my case. while the billing was a little different from what I expected, her expertise was invaluable. I highly recommend her. And I appreciate everything she's done for me and may case.
Response from the owner:Jennifer, thank you and glad Jennifer was able to help you and kept you updated.
Going through the divorce process can be overwhelming, exhausting and emotionally draining.
I did my homework to find the perfect lawyer to represent me knowing I could have peace of mind throughout the process.
Leilani Whitmer and her paralegal Idania did not disappoint. Their professionalism and dedication to my case was outstanding and fair.
Leilani had just had surgery a few days before mediation and showed up on crutches and ready to go. That’s dedication!!!
I am highly recommending them to anyone looking to feel at ease during a difficult time.
Response from the owner:Lesia, glad Leilani and Dani took such good care of you.
Anne-Greyson helped me with my post divorce issues after Clay handled my divorce. She was amazing in getting my issues resolved and I was even more thankful to have worked with Brown Family Law again. I will never stop praising this team for all of their hard work!!
Response from the owner:Belynda, thank you for your kind words.
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