A family unit is a fundamental social institution. It provides the framework where we experience many of life’s most important moments. That’s why when families go through changes or face challenges, it can be a highly complex and emotionally charged time. From the divorce of two spouses, child custody matters, domestic violence, and elder abuse, families face issues that are as diverse as the families themselves.

At Johnson Law Group, we understand how life can flip upside down when your family is going through a legal issue. We are a boutique law firm designed to exclusively represent family law, and we’re here to help you and your family members through this tough time. We offer consultations where we listen to your story, and we’ll work with you to develop a custom legal strategy that’s designed to achieve your specific goals. Whether you’re going through a divorce, facing a child custody battle, or dealing with any other family law issue, we’re here to help in Englewood, CO.

Family law is a broad legal practice area that covers various issues related to families and family relationships. It primarily focuses on the legal issues arising from the formation, dissolution, and modification of family relationships. Some common examples of family law issues include:

• Divorce. A divorce is a court order for the legal termination of a marriage. Once the divorce is finalized, the parties are no longer married and are free to remarry.
• Child custody. Child custody concerns the living arrangements of children after a divorce and decisions about the children’s care. It includes both physical custody, which gives a parent the right to have the child live with them, and legal custody, which provides a parent with the right to decide issues about the child’s welfare, including decisions about education, religion, and medical care.
• Child support. Child support is monetary funding set on a consistent schedule that one parent pays to the other in support of all costs of raising their child.
• Alimony. Alimony, also known as spousal support, is a payment from one spouse to the other during or after a divorce. It is typically paid from the higher-earning spouse to the lower-earning spouse and is intended to assist the lower-earning spouse maintain the quality and standard of living they had when in the marriage.
• Domestic violence. Domestic violence is an abusive pattern of behavior in which one intimate partner attempts to control or dominate the other through fear and intimidation.
• Property division. Property division is dividing up a marriage’s assets and liabilities during a divorce.
• Elder abuse. Elder abuse describes the physical, emotional, or financial abuse of older adults.

All these issues, and many more, fall under the umbrella of family law. If you’re dealing with any legal issue related to your family, it’s important to seek help from an experienced family law attorney to quickly advance your case and achieve a favorable outcome.

Making child custody decisions are some of the most difficult parts of a divorce. It’s important to keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and what works for one family may not work for another. With that said, some general principles can help guide you through the process.

The first thing to understand is that child custody isn’t just about physical custody – or where the children live most of the time. It also involves legal custody. Physical custody determines where the child will physically live, while legal custody involves who will have the authority to make decisions about the child’s welfare, including decisions about education, religion, and medical care. It’s important to note that both legal custody and physical custody can be sole or joint. With sole custody, only one parent has physical or legal custody, while with joint custody, both parents share physical or legal custody.

The next thing to consider is what type of custody arrangement will be in the child’s best interests. This is a difficult decision, but some factors can help guide you. These factors include the child’s age, relationship with each parent, the child’s needs, and the parent’s ability to meet those needs.

Once you’ve considered these factors, you’ll need to decide how to allocate custody. There are a few different options, including joint custody, sole custody, and shared custody. Joint custody is when both parents share physical and legal custody of the child. Sole custody, on the other hand, means only one parent has physical and legal custody. Shared custody is a more flexible arrangement in which the child spends time with both parents. Still, one parent has primary physical custody, and the other parent has primary legal custody.

No matter what type of custody arrangement you choose, putting the child’s best interests first is most important. This means ensuring the child has a stable and loving home environment, access to both parents, and the opportunity to pursue their own interests and activities.

When dealing with a family law issue, it’s vital to seek out the help of an experienced attorney. Here are a few tips for successfully working with an Englewood family law lawyer:

1. Make sure you’re comfortable with the lawyer. It’s essential to find an attorney you’re comfortable working with. This means you should feel open and free to communicate with the lawyer and feel confident in their ability to represent you.
2. Make sure the lawyer is experienced. When it comes to family law, you want an attorney who knows the ins and outs of the law. This means finding a lawyer with experience handling cases like yours and who has had success in doing so.
3. Make sure the lawyer is responsive. You should feel like your lawyer is responsive to your needs and available to answer your questions. When there are major delays in communication, it can be frustrating and cause unnecessary stress as you try to resolve your case.
4. Make sure the lawyer is affordable. While you want an experienced and qualified lawyer, you also want one who is affordable. For many, this means finding an attorney who offers payment arrangements or other repayment plans. If an attorney is not initially transparent regarding their pricing, it would be a good idea to seek out another lawyer.
5. Make sure the lawyer has a good reputation. When you’re looking for a lawyer, you want to find one with a good reputation. This means finding an attorney who has a good relationship with the courts and is respected by other lawyers.

Q: How much are child custody lawyers?

A: The cost will vary depending on the lawyer’s experience, the type of case, and the location. Facts surrounding your case also play a role in the cost, such as the number of parties involved and the amount of time required to reach a resolution. This makes it difficult to assess the average cost for family law services. To get an accurate estimate, contact a lawyer for a consultation.

Q: What do family lawyers do?

A: Family lawyers help their clients with a variety of legal issues, including divorce, child custody, and domestic violence. They also provide mediation services and can help their clients negotiate prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Each service of a family lawyer is narrowly focused on a specific area of family law, primarily assisting the relation of parents, children, and the overall dynamic of a family unit.

Q: How do courts determine who has what form of child custody in a divorce?

A: In a divorce, the court will consider a variety of elements when figuring out who should get custody of the children. These factors include the child’s relationship with each parent, the child’s preference (if the child is old enough to express a preference), each parent’s ability to care for the child, each parent’s mental and physical health, and any history of domestic violence. The court will also consider the child’s relationship with siblings, the child’s educational needs, and their ability to healthily adjust to a new environment. Ultimately, the court will make a custody determination based on what is in the best interests of the child.

Q: How is child support determined in a divorce or child support case?

A: Child support is generally based on the income of the non-custodial parent and the number of children involved in the case. The court will take into account parental income, the child’s needs, and the amount of time each parent commonly spends with the child when making a child support determination. The court will also consider any special needs of the child, such as medical expenses.

If you have any more questions on family law or need legal assistance, contact the Johnson Law Group today. Our experienced family law lawyers can help with all major aspects of family law, including divorce, child custody, and domestic violence. We start by directly consulting with you to get a full understanding of your legal matter and then provide you with a comprehensive legal solution that prioritizes the health, safety, and well-being of you and your family. Schedule a consultation today to get started working on your family law case.

ENGLEWOOD