What Do Family Law Attorneys Do?

Family law is the area of law that address family relationships. From acquiring a prenuptial agreement before your wedding to making decisions regarding the custody of your child, a family law attorney can help you navigate through marriage, divorce, and parental rights and obligations.

A family law attorney can provide many services whether you are in a crisis or making routine plans for the future. This may include drafting a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement to establish the financial parameters of a hypothetical divorce, handling divorce proceedings and the division of shared assets, drafting custody agreements, and even handling adoption proceedings. Along with the same basic skills as other legal areas, family law attorneys encompass strong people skills and empathy, as they are dealing with the most intimate personal details of other people’s family lives.

Further, a family law attorney can help you better understand Indiana law and regulations, which can help you learn about and enforce your rights as either a spouse or a parent. In divorce proceedings, your attorney can assist in the division of assets and property, calculating alimony, and assisting in agreeing on child support and custody. While a judge ultimately will make the final call on these issues, a family law attorney can help prepare or mediate an agreement with you and your spouse to have a baseline idea of what each spouse expects to receive.

Although divorce and child custody are two are the most common issues a family law attorney deals with, a family law attorney may also represent a child in situations of emancipation, abuse, or neglect. Additionally, a family law attorney can also help a family prepare for an adoption, ensuring that you have all the right paperwork and required Indiana qualifications for bringing a new member into your family.

Because family law relates to family relationships and children, it can be one of the most emotional areas of law. To avoid making decisions based on emotion alone, the assistance and advice of a family law attorney is beneficial if you find yourself in need of legal assistance. If you have a situation that could benefit from the help and advice of a family law attorney, contact McNeely Law today at (317) 825-5510 to talk to an experienced Indiana family law attorney who can help you navigate through your options.

This McNeely Law LLP publication should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinion of any specific facts or circumstances. The contents are intended for general information purposes only, and you are urged to consult your own lawyer on any specific legal questions you may have concerning your situation.