Family law is the part of civil law that deals with the legal aspects of intimate relationships. It encompasses various topics, most involving marriage and children. To better understand just what family law entails, below is an introduction to some of the common types of cases that family court attorneys represent.

A Basic Guide to Family Law

Divorces

As roughly half of all marriages are unsuccessful, divorce is a routine part of most family law practices. Couples who aren’t yet divorced might 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, from a legal perspective, the union never occurred.

Child Custody & Support

Family laws address child custody and support. Custody decisions determine where and with whom the child lives. Courts might award joint physical custody, where the child spends an equal share of time with both parents, or they might award one parent primary physical custody but allow the other parent visitation rights, but these are just two of many possible arrangements. 

Child support is the amount of money the noncustodial parent pays to the parent who has primary custody. The money is intended to meet the financial needs of raising the child. Courts consider a variety of factors when calculating child support, including the income of each parent, any special financial requirements the child might have, and the child's standard of living prior to the divorce or separation.

Adoptions

Adoptions also fall under the purview of family law. Adoption attorneys help their clients navigate the complex legal processes for bringing another child into the family. There are many types of adoptions. Examples include open adoptions, in which the birth parent is involved in the child's life; closed adoptions, in which there’s no contact between the birth parent and the adoptive child or family; and international adoptions, in which a child is adopted from another country.

Because of their personal nature, family law issues require skilled and sensitive legal professionals. Since 1992, the compassionate, knowledgeable, and seasoned attorneys at Brown, Burgoon, & Hartnagel, P.C., have served clients in Rockland and Orange Counties, NY. They offer representation in family, real estate, and personal injury cases. Call (845) 624-1966 or visit them online to set up a free, no-obligation consultation.