What to Look For in a Family Law Lawyer

When you find yourself in a situation requiring a family law lawyer in Frankston, you need to engage one who is progressive and compassionate. Most, if not all family law actions can be stressful and an experienced lawyer is your best guide through what can be a difficult period in your life.

Look for a legal practice that prides itself on its progressive and innovative approach to giving advice and services.  That legal practice should also be geographically convenient; find one that serves the city of Frankston and surrounding communities, including Seaford, Langwarrin, Mount Eliza, Carrum Downs, Skye and Patterson Lakes.

How can that legal practice’s assistance be delivered?  Look for flexibility from the legal practice that works with your schedule. Will the lawyer meet with you outside of your work hours?  In the evening?  On weekends?  At a meeting room in your community?  In your own home or office?

This flexibility in service-delivery is focused on the need to transition the client through what can be difficult personal circumstances and empower them to make the right decisions.

Parenting Matters are Highly Sensitive

Perhaps the most stressful family law scenarios are cases involving parenting matters, child custody and parenting plans.  A family law lawyer experienced in these areas is critical in protecting children from harm.  This primarily involves making arrangements to share the care of children between separated parents, or dealing with child protection authorities.

It’s necessary that the lawyer you hire be familiar with the resolution of all parenting matters.  The underlying goal is to act in the best interest of the child.  A list of some of the custodial areas includes:

• Court proceedings that involve parenting issues
• Dispute resolution and, in particular, achieving results with the shared care of children
• Creating workable Shared Care Parenting plans
• Negotiating a parenting plan with the other parent or parent’s representative
• Establishing parents’ rights, duties and responsibilities
• Acknowledging the rights of grandparents
• Addressing any particular issues that impact parental rights, such as a situation where drug or alcohol abuse is present
• Child support agreements
• Adoption issues and surrogacy

When Starting the Process – Get a Fees Estimate

It is not unreasonable to want to consider cost before hiring a lawyer.  In fact, a lawyer will welcome the discussion and should be ready, willing and prepared to give you a clear indication of the cost of the particular matter you need resolved.  In most circumstances, you should be able to negotiate either a fixed billing charge or hourly billing.

That initial assessment of your family law circumstance will enable the lawyer to provide you with a range of options and steps, as well as time frames and approximate costs based on the option you eventually choose.

The assessment is expedited by any preparation you do before the initial consultation, including a timeline of events with your former partner.  If a property is involved a calculation of assets is also important for that initial assessment. 

Preparation and a responsive, experienced family lawyer in Frankston are your best tools as you go forward with your family law process.

During separation, emotions run high and feelings are hurt by each other. It is important to maintain composure when children are involved. They too are hurting and confused, and their parent’s behaviour is under scrutiny. A good family lawyer will not only provide legal guidance, but emotional support and offer advice when dealing with emotional behaviour.

There are some considerations for child custody arrangements the court will make. The will of the court is to ensure children have access to both parents, when it is safe to do so, and they have access to a consistent lifestyle. If the children are mature enough, they will also take the children’s preferences into consideration when finalizing custody arrangements. If the children are of aboriginal descent, special consideration is placed on accessing cultural amenities. If one parent lives in a community that isolates them from their cultural needs, the court considers this when making a final decision.

To minimize the stress that court proceedings have on families, family lawyer serving the Frankston area will encourage their clients to resolve custody arrangements through mediation. This is not only easier on family relationships, it makes the process more affordable for families. Cost should not worry clients as they have enough to consider when moving through divorce or separation proceedings.