Local Family Law Attorney
When you need a family law attorney, we are here to give you professional legal help to focus on the best interests of your family.
Going through a divorce or fighting for custody can be a devastating time in your life. We know the emotions you are feeling can be overwhelming, and we are here to help ease your mind by taking all legal matters into our hands.
Family law can be a challenging one because there are guidelines for each state and area of concern.
We provide great legal advice with:
- Divorce or separation
- Child custody or child support
- Spousal alimony and maintenance
- Child adoption
We take the time to sit down with you and go over the unique details of your case, so you have top-notch representation. Your family is our number one priority to provide you with the best outcome at this devastating time in your life.
Finding a divorce lawyer or family attorney that truly cares about you can be difficult. Our attorneys are highly trained experts who will take the time to personally get to know you and your unique situation. We will do everything we can to dispute challenges that arise in your case and get you the fairest resolution that we can.
If you have questions regarding divorce, child support, adoption, or other family law related questions, we are here to help you understand your rights, and how to protect them with your situation. It is crucial that you take the right precautions to ensure you are not taken advantage of. We are sensitive to each case that we encounter to ensure you feel comfortable with us.
Call today for a complete confidential consultation regarding your case.
Child Custody Attorney
Issues surrounding a child, particularly with child custody, can be one of the most combative elements in a divorce. It serves the child well if both parties can work things out in a civil manner. Our highly experienced attorneys are here to help you learn about parenting time and how to work together to do what is best for your child.
When going through a divorce with a child involved it can be an emotional time for you. We strive to make sure our clients and their families are taken care of during this hard time. We work aggressively when representing parents in child custody proceedings. We want to make sure you are treated fairly and get the custody rights you deserve.
When a divorce involves a child, it is important for your attorney to give you guidance to create a stable environment for your child. We know that divorce can cause stress on you and your child, and we want to help guide you through the process to reduce that stress. Stephen Farr is here to help you settle your child custody case peacefully.
Often time’s the father has to prove paternity and our divorce lawyers can help guide fathers through the paternity process efficiently.
Many states have the presumption that both parties should have joint legal custody, which means they both parents have the right to make decisions on important matters. As well as have equally shared time with the child. Stephen will go over this process with you and everything you need to know.
As your child custody mediator, we will help you decide what is in the best interest of your child. We are here to protect and establish your parental rights. Whether you are married, divorce, an unmarried parent, or in a domestic relationship, we are here to support you through it all.
Sole Legal Custody is only considered if one parent has no involvement with the child, is mentally impaired, or does not want the legal rights of the child. In most states, both parents automatically have joint legal custody.
There is a difference in joint legal custody and primary physical custody. Primary physical custody means that one parent has the child most of the time. It is important for the parent to understand the differences. Our well-qualified lawyers have many years of child custody experience and will explain the implications they have on the child and the parent.
Child custody law requires that both parents attend a mandatory class that goes over how to cope with divorce.
This must happen before anything is put in place permanently. Both parents must agree on child tax deductions, visitation schedules, parenting plans, and if there will be joint or primary custody. If both parents cannot come to an agreement then, the court will decide these issues.
Every family has their own unique situation that they are going through. One structure cannot be used for each family. Our experienced lawyers have creative solutions for child custody law matters. We will take care of your needs while also helping with the emotions you are experiencing. Call us today to talk with one of our sensitive lawyers about your case.
Certified Mediator
Mediation may be the answer for you. If both you and your soon to be ex-spouse agree to file for divorce; mediation is the answer for you. This allows you to create mutual agreements for your unique situation without having a judge involved.
If you and your loved have come to a mutual decision that you want a divorce, then divorce mediation may be right for you. In mediation, both parties sit down with a mediator, who is a mutual coordinator, to reach an agreement regarding your divorce.
In divorce mediation, you and your spouse would meet with a mediator to resolve the issues pertaining to property, alimony, child support, and child custody. Each mediator is different on how they want the mediation to take place. They may request both parties are in the room at the same time, or with each party privately. Divorce mediators do not have the legal authority to make a decision on legal issues.
It is important still to hire an experienced divorce attorney to represent you in mediation. The mediator will not represent either party.
Your lawyer can review the divorce settlement and make sure you understand the legalities involved.
Mediation can reduce your legal fees and the divorce can be resolved much faster. Also, mediation gives you the opportunity to come up with your own creative settlement that is appropriate for your situation.
Our well-qualified divorce attorneys are experienced in the mediation process. We are here to help keep your rights protected. We are here to fight for you to receive a fair settlement if needed. Mediation is supposed to be done in an unbiased manner, but in some situations, one party may feel the mediator is favoring the other party. You want to have the legal recourse if you need it. It may seem easy at first but become much more complex than you intended. Call today to talk with one of our qualified attorney who specializes in mediation.
We will review your case to see if it can be resolved through mediation instead of court.
Child Support Attorney
Child support can be one of the most difficult things to agree on in a divorce. They are many complex matters that arise when making the decisions for child support. Legal advice and support are needed to determine what is in the best interests of the child.
Child support includes providing health insurance and monthly money payments. A child is supported by their parents until the age of 18 unless they get married or emancipated before then.
You may be wondering if you need a child support order from the court or not. Many times parents can agree on an amount to pay to avoid court costs, but disputes arise with the parents on how much they are paying.
If it was not ordered by the court, child support cannot be enforced. It is very important to get a signed order from the judge to ensure it can be enforced when needed.
The law has set up a mathematical formula to determine the amount of child support that should be paid for the needs of the child. Sometimes this number does not seem appropriate for the situation, and that is when one of our aggressive lawyers intervene to protect your rights. Stephen want to make sure you are treated fairly in this case and pay only what is logical for your situation.
If you or a family member is experiencing problems receiving child support, or need to reevaluate how much you are paying, one of our highly qualified lawyers is here to help you. We will assess the complexities of your case and ensure your rights are protected.
Paternity Attorney
Paternity is requested when the father is refusing to pay child support or take responsibility for the child. If the parents were not married at the time the child was conceived, paternity is established to prove he is the father and has a responsibility to the child.
Establishing paternity can become complex, and the laws involved vary from state to state. Often times the known father is not the biological father. Establishing paternity happens when two people are not married, but a child is involved. It can become frustrating for the mother to establish paternity to get the support needed for her child. If you or a loved one is trying to enforce child support and needs paternity done, our highly trained lawyers can help you establish paternity, so you can get the support you need for your child.
In many states they categorize what determines a father, including:
- Acknowledged father- An unmarried man admits to being the child’s father and agrees to pay child support
- Unwed father- An unmarried man who has a child with a woman. The unwed father will pay child support once the court determines that he is the biological father. The father would also have visitation rights to the child.
- Presumed father- A father who was married to the mother when the child was born or legally agreed to be the father of his wife’s child. A presumed father also must pay child support.
- Stepfather- A man who marries a woman who has a child with another man. He is not obligated to pay child support unless he chooses to adopt the child. The biological father must give full consent for the stepfather to legally adopt the child. If the stepfather takes full rights to the child, then he is entitled to pay child support.
In most states, the judge will order the father to submit a DNA test. If the father refuses to provide DNA testing, he may be held in contempt of court. This means that he could face a fine or jail time.
- Paternity establishes emotional, social, economic ties between the father and the child.
- Once paternity is proven, the child gains advantages from the father, such as:
- Benefits- inheritance, medical and life insurance, or social security benefits. (If applicable)
- Medical History- If the child becomes sick the doctor will know how to treat him/her knowing the history of the father’s medical conditions.
- Identity- helps the child feel more secure knowing whom their father is.
- Father figure- It is proven that children who have a father figure in their life will become responsible adults and are more likely to stay in school than commit crimes.
In order to enforce child support, you must prove that the man is the legal father. You must go to court to ask the judge to order a paternity test for the man. To ask a judge to have the father undergo DNA testing is called a paternity action.
Once the test shows that the man is the biological father then he will have to pay child support. If the man is a presumed or acknowledged father, then he automatically has to pay child support with no paternity taken.
This can be a long complex process for you and cause you frustrations because the father is not willing to cooperate. Our lawyers are sensitive to you and your child’s needs. We are here to set you at ease. Let us take care of your legal needs in establishing paternity. We will make sure your rights are protected. We have the proper resources to ensure you will be taken care of.
Please call us today for an individual assessment for your case by one of our highly experienced lawyers.
We want to get to know you so we can help you with your unique situation.
Divorce Attorney
Stephen W. Farr Attorney At Law, we are here to take responsibility for your legal needs in this sensitive time in your life. In order to get a divorce process going, one party will need to file. The person who files is starting the legal proceedings and is called the plaintiff, and the one who responds is the defendant. We are here to help you file and make things simpler during the process.
Child support includes providing health insurance and monthly money payments. A child is supported by their parents until the age of 18 unless they get married or emancipated before then.
You may be wondering if you need a child support order from the court or not. Many times parents can agree on an amount to pay to avoid court costs, but disputes arise with the parents on how much they are paying.
If it was not ordered by the court, child support cannot be enforced. It is very important to get a signed order from the judge to ensure it can be enforced when needed.
The law has set up a mathematical formula to determine the amount of child support that should be paid for the needs of the child. Sometimes this number does not seem appropriate for the situation, and that is when one of our aggressive lawyers intervene to protect your rights. We want to make sure you are treated fairly in this case and pay only what is logical for your situation.
If you or a family member is experiencing problems receiving child support, or need to reevaluate how much you are paying, one of our highly qualified lawyers is here to help you. We will assess the complexities of your case and ensure your rights are protected.