This is a branch of law that deals with domestic relations and family matters such as marriage, adoption, child abuse, child abduction, property settlements, child support and visitation, and more. It is also known as matrimonial law. In many jurisdictions, family courts have the largest number of court records. The attorney who handles these types of cases is called a family law attorney or attorney. The two main issues this attorney would handle are legal separations and divorce. During these problems, the attorney would attempt to dispose of the marital property, defend the amount to be paid for alimony and child support, resolve child custody issues, and establish visitation rights. In divorce and separation cases, each party will have their own family law attorney. If an agreement cannot be reached on any issue, it could be taken to court and the judge will usually issue the final order on the issues.
Adoption is another field that a family law attorney handles. The attorney will help the couple through the many steps that must be taken to legalize the adoption. In each jurisdiction, the laws are different and may vary depending on the age of the child. In some places, biological parents will always retain some rights, while in other jurisdictions, all of their legal parental rights have been completely waived.
Another duty of a family law attorney is creating documents to help prevent foreseeable future problems. An example is the creation of a prenuptial agreement that will establish how the assets would be divided if the couple were to divorce. It could also be a post-nuptial agreement that sets out not only how assets will be divided, but also how visitation, custody, and child support should be arranged. They can also establish a trust fund in the name of the children or a spouse if they have that level of experience. In some situations, a family law attorney may need to handle criminal matters. The attorney may specialize in specific areas such as domestic violence or juvenile law.
A family law attorney can work at a law firm or open their own offices. To become an attorney, you will need to attend law school and then pass an exam to become a practicing attorney. Before going to law school, you will need to have a high school diploma or its equivalent provided jurisdiction is accepted. While in college, you should earn a bachelor’s degree in any major, but it is helpful to prepare for a career in law if it involves a major in business, law, or political science. To help gain some experience, work as a secretary or intern at a law firm that specializes in family law.