Category: Family Law
Understanding Family Law
July 13, 2023 | admin
Family law encompasses a wide range of legal matters that revolve around familial relationships. It governs issues related to marriage, divorce, child custody, adoption, domestic violence, and more. Understanding family law is crucial for individuals and families navigating through these often challenging and emotional situations. Continue reading our blog as we will provide an overview of family law, discussing its key areas and offering valuable insights to help you have a better understanding of this field. Marriage and Divorce Marriage is a legal contract between two individuals, and family law covers various aspects of this institution. It addresses requirements for a valid marriage, prenuptial agreements, and the legal process of divorce. The family law attorneys at Barna, Guzy & Steffen can guide individuals through the divorce process, including issues such as property division, spousal support, child custody, and visitation rights. Understanding your rights and obligations during a divorce is essential for achieving a fair and satisfactory outcome. Child Custody and Support When parents separate or divorce, determining child custody and support becomes an important issue. Family law strives to protect the best interests of the child and provides guidelines for custody arrangements, visitation schedules, and child support calculations. These matters can be emotionally charged and complex, making the assistance of an experienced family…
Read MoreFamily Court Hearings: Tips and Strategies
October 13, 2022 | Jason C. Brown
Courtrooms are not meant to be friendly or comfortable. They exist for one purpose: decision-making. How do you stand the best chance at making a good impression on the judge? Here are ten things to keep in mind: Dress the part. The court does not expect you to wear formal attire to the hearing. At the same time, t-shirts and blue jeans are probably best kept for another day. Business casual is just fine. Refer to the court as “your honor.” Over the years, I’ve observed litigants call the judge “madam,” “sir,” or “judge.” All are tactful, but the path of least resistance is to simply use “your honor.” That way, the court’s train of thought won’t be disrupted. Leave your phone in the car. Cell phones are quite disruptive in a quiet courtroom setting. Some judges confiscate ringing phones and charge the owner to get it back – even when they thought it was on silent mode. Don’t take a chance. Speak only when spoken to. The judge is trying to manage a courtroom full of people as efficiently as possible. Follow their lead. If you are asked a question, answer it. But don’t try to take control of the situation. Don’t argue. It may sound counterintuitive, but there is a time…
Read MoreFamily Law ADR: Alternatives to the Courtroom
October 13, 2022 | Jason C. Brown
To the surprise (and relief) of many, only a small portion of the family cases we handle wind up in trial. The vast majority of the time our attorneys are able to negotiate a favorable settlement. Our firm has a reputation for success in the courtroom. Still, we consider trial as a last resort. Why is it important to focus on settlement efforts before trial? We find that the litigants will save substantial time and money if matters are resolved sooner than later. We also find that the parties are far more likely to abide by the terms of the agreement if they have created it. Most importantly, by working toward settlement our clients maintain control over the outcome, rather than handing that authority over to a judge. There are a number of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) models available to family court litigants. Mediation is a common process in which the parties and lawyers hire a neutral to facilitate a conversation about the issues. The mediator is there to offer suggestions on how to resolve matters but takes no position concerning the issues. Most mediators are experienced family law attorneys who have shifted their practice to ADR after many years in the courtroom. Evaluative mediation involves the retention of a neutral but gives…
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