When you’re looking for a good child custody attorney, it’s important to do your due diligence. This process involves seeking references, checking the state bar association, and seeking information from other reputable resources to narrow down your options for custody attorneys. It’s also a good idea to learn more about child custody proceedings, so check out these top things that custody attorneys wish you knew about custody cases.

Avoid Things That Sabotage Your Case

If you’re in the middle of a child custody battle, you should be interested in doing things that advance instead of harming your case. Keep in mind that your behavior will be under evaluation throughout the proceedings, so you should watch out for anything that could set you back.

Besides watching your behavior, you should also be careful in your conversations because you never know when your spouse or someone else could be recording you. Imagine saying something out of anger or frustration only to have it used against you. You should also avoid yelling or confrontations with your spouse or children as well as any other behavior that might be damaging to your case.

Hiring a Lawyer Is Essential

It’s normal to wonder if it’s necessary to hire a child custody attorney. If you want a speedy resolution to your case and less stressful child custody proceedings, then the answer is yes. Child custody attorneys also help you avoid costly mistakes and help ensure a better outcome for your case. The trick is to find a reputable attorney with a good track record.

Factors That Determine Custody

If you’re going before a judge, it’s also a good idea to understand the factors the judge considers when resolving custody issues. In most instances, the judge considers various factors, such as the age and mental state of the child. They’ll also look at the relationship between the child and each of the parents, whether each parent provides a stable environment, and the ability of the parent to care for the child. Knowing these factors will help you manage your expectations and help you determine what you need to do to ensure the best outcome.

Child custody proceedings can trigger strong emotions. The best thing you can do is to arm yourself with the right knowledge and hire a reputable child custody attorney. Contact us today if you need an experienced attorney to be on your side during your child custody proceedings.

Nowadays, a lot of marriages tend to end in divorce. According to National Affairs, the current divorce rate is nearly double that of 1960. However, it’s not as much as the all-time high of 22.6 in the early 1980s. Here are some of the reasons causing an increase in divorce rates.

Change in Divorce Stigma

Nowadays, women and men are both more educated and empowered. In the past, most women were dependent on men for finances, which is not the case today. Because of this and the reduced stigma, women have more freedom to walk away from marriages they consider less than ideal. They are also able to quickly engage a divorce lawyer. Over the past few decades, the overall attitude toward divorce has become more relaxed. This makes it easier for partners to walk away from each other, especially those with peers who are doing the same.

Longer Life Expectancies

There are several things that are causing life expectancy to increase. While this is a good thing, it’s also upping the stakes for partners who are unhappy in their unions. People are living longer because of better medical treatments and health care awareness. This means that the years people generally expect to spend in a marriage have increased. For instance, a woman who is 55 years old will likely spend 30 years more in her marriage. This will prompt partners to question whether they can stay in an unhappy situation for that long. If not, the next step would be to start looking for a divorce lawyer.

Premarital Cohabitation

More young people are living together before marriage nowadays. Research shows that couples who do this appear to have a higher chance of divorce if they end up getting married. This is especially true for people who have cohabited with several partners. Most people believe that living together enables them to know each better in preparation for marriage. On the contrary, that has been shown to increase the leniency towards divorce. However, not every expert thinks the same. Some also believe that couples who get engaged and then start staying together before marriage are less likely to divorce.

These are some of the factors that increase the risk of couples engaging a divorce lawyer. Apart from the factors listed above, another factor that increases the risk of divorce is experiencing the divorce of your parents. This has been shown to double your risk for divorce. If both partners come from broken homes, then that risk triples. However, this doesn’t mean that children from divorced homes will definitely end up in divorce. It only means they need to be more aware of their marriage trends and work harder to ensure their marriages don’t end in divorce.

No one enters into a marriage expecting it to end in divorce, but sadly, it happens all too often. In fact, according to the latest statistics, nearly half of all marriages in the United States will end in divorce. If you’re going through a divorce or are considering one, you’re probably feeling a range of emotions: scared, uncertain, and maybe even a little angry. It’s natural to feel all of those things. But before you make any major decisions, it’s important to know what divorce lawyers wish you knew.

1. It’s Not Always a 50/50 Split

One of the biggest myths about divorce is that it’s always a 50/50 split. In reality, that’s not always the case. Several factors can affect how property and assets are divided in a divorce, including who earns more money, who has custody of the children, and the existence of a prenuptial agreement.

2. Custody Battles Can Be Brutal

When it comes to custody battles, anything and everything is fair game. Parents will often do whatever they can to get sole or primary custody of their children, including making accusations against the other parent, manipulating the children, and even hiring private investigators. Unfortunately, these custody battles can be very damaging to the children.

3. You May Have to Pay Alimony

One of the most dreaded aspects of divorce is the prospect of having to pay alimony. Alimony is essentially financial support that one spouse pays to the other after a divorce. It’s not always required, but it’s often granted if one spouse earns significantly more than the other. However, state laws regarding alimony vary greatly, so it’s important to speak with an attorney to determine your specific rights and obligations.

4. You May Have to Pay Child Support

Along with alimony, you may also be required to pay child support. This is a monthly payment that helps support the children after the divorce. The amount of child support you’ll have to pay depends on several factors, including how many children you have, how much money you make, and who has custody of the children.

5. Your Divorce Lawyer is Your Biggest Ally

When going through a divorce, your divorce lawyer is your biggest ally. They can help you understand the process, negotiate with the other party, and protect your interests. Don’t be afraid to ask them for advice or guidance throughout the process.

Divorce is a difficult process, both emotionally and financially. But by knowing what to expect, you can make the process a little easier. Speak with a divorce lawyer to learn more about your specific rights and obligations. They will guide you through the process and help you protect your interests.

Are you looking for a divorce lawyer? We can help you understand your rights and obligations and protect your interests during this difficult time. Contact us today for a free consultation.

A common critique of younger generations is that they don’t take marriage seriously enough. This is largely because there is a perception that divorce is on the rise, with about 40 to 50% of all American marriages ending in divorce. A better measurement may be the rate of divorce, which is 16.9 per 1,000 married women. Additionally, it should be noted that while it may seem like divorce is happening more often, it’s also true that divorce is more accessible. Where women were once more financially dependent on their husbands, and divorce was once more taboo, people now can leave unhappy marriages and live independently. That’s a good thing!

But what are the reasons why people reach out to a divorce attorney? Let’s look into the leading causes of divorce below.

1. Incompatability

While it may seem simple and vague, incompatibility is one of the main reasons why people get divorced. Perhaps you have different goals in life as a couple; maybe the two of you share different values or political beliefs. No matter what, incompatibility is a valid reason to get divorced. You shouldn’t feel bad about it.

2. Infidelity

It may be a cliche, but people do get divorced quite often due to infidelity. Many couples consider infidelity the one thing that they would not be able to forgive each other of. It’s not uncommon for people to put up with plenty of conflicts, but only call a divorce attorney after infidelity.

3. Financial Problems

Financial issues are often behind divorces. You may hear of couples fighting over money; just the stress of being unable to pay your bills can cause serious resentment, and push couples apart. Additionally, it’s not uncommon for couples to get divorced because they disagree on how to spend their money. These are valid reasons to end your marriage.

4. Substance Abuse

Substance abuse is not uncommon, and it does destroy marriages. Whether an individual is addicted to illicit substances or something like alcohol, substance abuse can create conflict that can drive couples apart.

5. Domestic Abuse

Sadly, domestic abuse does occur within marriages. It is a major reason why couples get divorced, and in this case, divorce would be a positive thing. If it’s time for you to end a bad marriage, call a divorce attorney. This could begin a new, positive path.