A bad marriage may tempt you to take matters into your own hands and file for divorce yourself, but before you do, you should consider hiring a divorce attorney. You need to consider everything that you will need to deal with during the divorce process and how a lawyer can help reduce your stress and make sure there are no mistakes. There are many areas where a family law attorney will be able to assist you, but let’s go over three in particular.
1. Spousal Support
Spousal support is financial aid provided to the recipient to help him or her achieve financial independence. It is only available to married people, and rules vary by state. Courts award financial assistance based on a variety of factors such as: duration of marriage, each person’s earning capacity, contribution to household or career, and physical health and age of the recipient.
2. Child Support
An ongoing, periodic payment made by a parent for the financial benefit of a child at the end of a marriage or other relationship. This payment is made either directly or indirectly by an obligor to an obligee. More often than not, the obligor is the non-custodial parent and the obligee is the custodial parent, a caregiver, a guardian, or the state.
3. Custody
Child custody and legal guardianship are both legal terms used to describe the legal and practical relationship between a parent and his or her child. It also describes the right of the parent to make decisions, and the parent’s duty to take care of the child. In divorce one parent may have full custody of the child or the parents may agree to share joint custody.
Hiring a Divorce Attorney
These are only three situations where a divorce attorney can assist you. If you are in need of legal advice or representation, please contact the family law attorneys of Johnson and Pekny, L.L.C. in Omaha, Plattsmouth and Blair. Call us at (402) 298-8288 or fill out our contact form online.