What Can a Specialist Family Lawyer Assist With?
A family law firm deals typically deals with a range of family-related legal issues. This usually includes divorce and separation, the division of marital property, spousal maintenance and child support and custody. If you believe you may be in need of some assistance in relation to family issues, reaching out to a specialist family lawyer early on would be a wise first step to take.
Here’s what family law entails, and what a Pullos specialist family lawyer can assist you with.
Separation and Divorce
Separation is when you stop living as a couple. This does not have to mean you leave the house you share today, just that you have stopped living in a relationship with each other. You will not need to get certificates or fill out forms to say you are separated, but you will likely need to sort out financial arrangements and notify institutions such as Centrelink or your bank about the change in circumstances. You should get advice from a specialist family lawyer about who to notify about your separation to best protect your assets and your children.
Divorce is the official ending of your marriage. You will need to be separated for 12 months and 1 day to be able to apply for divorce.
A specialist family lawyer can advise you on any legal requirements, and assist you with filing for divorce, as well as arrangements for any children or the settlement of property, or spousal maintenance.
Domestic Violence
A family law firm can assist you with legal issues relating to domestic violence. The Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 2012 aims to “provide for protection of a person against violence committed or threatened by someone else if a relevant relationship exists between the persons”. If you believe you are in immediate danger, we suggest you call the police on 000 or contact local domestic violence support. Once you are able to do so, we advise you speak to a family law firm to find out the best course of action which may include assisting you in applying to a magistrate at a magistrates court for a domestic violence protection order.
Children
When it comes to the arrangements of children after separation, a specialist family lawyer can help. The Family Law Act will apply to your children, regardless of whether the parents have been married or not.
Speak to your ex-partner, if it is safe to do so, to see if you can agree to a parenting plan together. A parenting plan is a signed and dated agreement between parents as to the arrangements for the children such as where the children will live, who the children spend time and communicate with, and their school or childcare.
It is usually in the family’s and children’s best interests to come to an agreement, and not to go to court. A family law firm can advise you on all the requirements for a parenting plan, and the next course of action in the instance you cannot come to an agreement.
Family Dispute Resolution or Mediation
Family dispute resolution is the process of trying to come to an agreement about your family arrangements outside of the courts. This can be done through a mediator or through collaborative practice. Your specialist family lawyer can advise you about all the options for getting to an agreement without going to Court.
Dispute resolution is typically cheaper than going to court, and can be a less stressful experience for all parties. A family law firm will be able to direct you to a family dispute resolution service, or assist you if you cannot reach a resolution through mediation. Specialist Family Lawyer Cassandra Pullos is an industry leader in mediation, collaborative practice and parenting co-ordination and offers a problem-solving approach to serve the best interests of all parties and their children.
Want To Speak To a Specialist Family Lawyer?
If you are experiencing issues relating to any of the legal matters above, Pullos Lawyers are specialist family lawyer and able to assist. We have a family law firm in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, with specialist family lawyers who have many years’ experience dealing with all types of family law issues, including divorce, domestic violence, LGBT law, children’s issues, international divorce and much more. For more information, we have a complimentary personalised welcome pack available here, or please contact us or phone us on (07)5526 3646 (Gold Coast office) or (07) 3144 1641 (Brisbane office).