When you see the words “family lawyer”, you
may think of divorces or child custody attorneys. Family law covers a wide range of services
and can extend into adoptions, adult adoptions, even probate. Divorce and probate
are actually becoming increasingly intertwined as people live longer and
develop cognitive issues that prompt marital changes. While a lot of people think that family
lawyers only deal in divorces, in reality, a family lawyer handles a range of
cases, usually relating to the establishment of or the dissolution of a family.
Here are some types of cases that family lawyers deal with. Keep in mind that
not all family law attorneys may handle all kinds of cases. Some lawyers stay out of court entirely, and
others focus entirely on litigation.
Because the laws relating to custody, divorce, and probate or juvenile
court issues like guardianships can intersect, many lawyers have the experience
to address a case at any number of “stages.”
Divorce Lawyers
If you have experienced a divorce, you may
be familiar with what divorce lawyers do. For starters, our firm gives every
client a “divorce introduction letter.”
This letter gives our clients the process of a divorce or legal
separation. This is true whether the
divorce or legal separation is filed.
Legal separation and divorce are terms that could be used together
because a legal separation filing can be converted to divorce rather easily,
and some divorces resolve in a legal separation or even reconciliation.
A divorce lawyer may assist you throughout
your legal separation and/or divorce. The lawyer will work alongside you to get
you the best settlement you may get, knowing that the judge will usually award
that same settlement. Just this morning
in court, I had offered a resolution that was declined, but when we re-offered
it again, the judge was really interested in that offer. Ultimately, that was the resolution for that
case. The divorce lawyer may assist you in negotiation on matters such as who
gets the marital home, who pays alimony or spousal maintenance, the division of
assets, and how to split any debts of the marriage.
A lot of the time, a divorce lawyer may
help you get the outcome you want without needing to go to trial. If your case
uses collaborative law, you’ll get a lot more face time with your lawyer and a
lot more thorough review of your financial documents by a neutral expert you
both pay. This is a win-win, but unless
both lawyers use collaborative law, don’t expect this efficient, cost-effective
resolution. In a handful of cases, a
trial may be necessary; when this occurs, your lawyer will represent you
throughout that process. Trials can take
a long time to complete because you have to finish discovery, and court
schedules are packed.
Some divorcing couples cannot afford an
attorney or just don’t want to pay for a private attorney. Under these
circumstances, we find that people can reach results that cause them to call us
afterward to explore whether they got the best outcome. Some people are friendly enough to resolve
their cases without arguments between them, but for many people, there is some
conflict.
Child and spousal support
Second to divorce, the most common type of
family law case that we handle is child and spousal support, also called
alimony. These types of cases often go hand-in-hand with divorce and can be one
of the most contentious aspects of the proceedings.
Child custody – Another outcome of divorce,
child custody hearings are incredibly sensitive and require a compassionate,
strategic lawyer. Whether you are looking to secure sole custody of your child
or come up with an arrangement that benefits both spouses.
Adoption
Family law has various regulations
surrounding adoption. These regulations were included to ensure the adopted
child’s best interests. A couple or an individual who wants to adopt a child
must comply with these regulations. Adopting a child involves lengthy paperwork
that can result in delays. To comply with different guidelines and complete the
paperwork swiftly, adopters must consider hiring a family law attorney.
Marriage and Civil Union Lawyers
Those who are getting married or heading
into a domestic partnership or civil union may want to draw up agreements. By law, when you get married, you create a
contract. You may not realize it, but
your contract is with the state, and it says that everything you acquire during
the marriage is the joint property of both spouses. Debts are also joint debts if acquired while
you are legally married. Someone who
owns a business, or property, or has other legal issues may want to create a
prenuptial agreement to protect that asset or to protect the other spouse. Many
couples who are already married may also choose to put together a postnuptial agreement,
which an attorney may help with that also.
Family Law Lawyers Dealing with Abuse
Child abuse and domestic abuse are very
serious issues that a family law attorney may address. We have to be trained to
understand the nuances. These are really
discreet issues and often the signs of a domestic violence cycle aren’t obvious
to just everyone. The lawyer may
represent the person who is the victim in the case, or the person who is
defending against these allegations. The
lawyer could help the victim to file a restraining order, called an Order of
Protection. These Orders of Protection
have very specific laws dedicated to them, and consulting an attorney to defend
against an Order of Protection or make allegations in the Order of Protection
is vital.
If an attorney is hired by the person who
is being accused of violent conduct, it may be possible to disprove the
allegations. In some cases, the abuse
happened, but there is still good cause to ensure the children see the parent
who is accused.
You Have the Right to an Attorney, and the
Right to Remain Silent
It is never a good thing to be arrested. If
you are arrested though, the steps you take during and immediately following
the incident are absolutely critical. First of all, don’t resist or protest
angrily. Keep your emotions in check. Resisting or arguing with the arresting
officer can lead to additional charges being filed on top of the charges you’re
already facing.
Having the advice of an experienced
criminal defense attorney is vital if you are arrested. Your attorney will be
able to look into the specifics of your case and tell you whether or not you
were lawfully detained during your arrest.
MA who was being charged with Distribution
of a Controlled Substance. After reviewing the details surrounding the arrest
incident, law firm issued a motion to suppress the stop and search of the
vehicle the individual had been in at the time of the incident under the
grounds of lack of probable cause. As a result, the charges were dropped
because the prosecution was unable to enter the search of the vehicle into
evidence.
criminal defense attorney will know exactly
which details to be mindful of when examining the circumstances of your arrest.
In some instances, your attorney may be able to get charges dropped, while in
others the attorney may be able to get the charges reduced to a lesser charge
A criminal record can have a serious impact
on the rest of your life. If you’re facing criminal charges, a lawyer is the
best bet you can make to safeguard your legal rights and provide you with the
strongest defense possible.
Criminal Defense Attorney
A common U.S. citizen has little or no
information and knowledge about how law enforcement or legal systems work.
Hiring a lawyer who understands and has the knowledge of law and how court
systems function is very essential if you have been charged with a crime. A
criminal defense lawyer will apply their legal skills and years of courtroom
experience to the specifics of your case. Every case is different and requires
a different approach. Navigating the criminal justice system without a lawyer
is not a good idea and can be very confusing, frustrating and risky.
Will aggressively put in all efforts to get
the penalties lowered.
Can help you achieve fair settlements or
plea deals.
Can protect you from the prosecution.
Can examine the evidence better than you.
Will fight for your rights to help keep
your criminal history clean.
SHOULD I GET A LAWYER FOR MY DUI?
your driving privileges, and possibly the
lives of others. A first DUI offense is punished less harshly than subsequent
offenses, and DUI charges that resulted in the injury or death of another
person have the most substantial penalties. Regardless of the severity of the
offense, a driving under the influence (DUI) conviction can have lasting
consequences on your life and happens when you make the choice to drive while
impaired by alcohol or drugs. If you have been charged with a DUI, you should
seek the assistance of an experienced, reliable, and honest defense attorney
that will guide you to achieve the most positive outcome possible
Hiring The Defenders to handle your DUI
case, whether that be your first offense or not, can lead to a possible
minimization of your charges, as well as diminish the damaging effects a DUI
charge can possess over your life. Many people automatically assume that
because they were arrested for a DUI, that law enforcement already has enough
evidence for the defendant to be found guilty of driving under the influence.
WHAT IS CONSIDERED DRIVING UNDER THE
INFLUENCE?
drivers are evaluated on their blood
alcohol concentration (BAC), which is the measure of alcohol within someone’s
blood. This level must be above the legal limit to count as driving under the
influence.
CRIMINAL DEFENSE FOR GOOD PEOPLE.
Being charged with a misdemeanor or felony
crime doesn’t have to change the course of your life, but it can. Having the
right criminal defense attorney, DUI attorney or drug lawyer working with you
to minimize the charges can make all the difference in whether or not your
criminal charge plagues you for years to come. For example, receiving your
first DUI can be a terrifying ordeal, but there are many options available to
you. It helps to have an experienced Pittsburgh defense attorney who knows not
only the law, but the prosecutors, law enforcement, and the ins and outs of the
courts.
I have a decade of experience successfully
defending clients in trial and resolving cases outside of court. My career has
been 100% dedicated to defending the rights of people who have been accused of
misdemeanor and felony crimes right here
What sets me apart from other defense
lawyers? I will never convince you to take a plea or settle if you want a
trial. When you’re a client, we’re a team. I help you understand the options so
you can make the best decision for your situation. If you want a trial, I will
fight for you. Other attorneys might try to discourage trial because it can be
anxiety-inducing or costly for them. I care most about the best possible
outcome so you can move on with your life.
If you have recently been pulled over, you
need experienced counsel to protect your rights.
Even for a first offense DUI charge, you
may face hundreds or thousands of dollars in fines, probation or prison time,
and other penalties if convicted. You may have heard about restricted driving
privileges or Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) as potential
alternatives to maintaining your rights
The first thing we do is request police
reports and any footage from your traffic stop. This will show us if there are
any errors with the evidence that can be thrown out in court. We also use this
information to start crafting your DUI defense. We have over 15 years of
combined experience in analyzing chemical and physical evidence to help our
clients achieve the best possible outcome for their DUI cases. To learn how we
have successfully represented individuals with their serious DUI cases, read
our successful DUI results.
Criminal Defense Attorney
Some people may feel like they don’t need a
criminal attorney due to the charges that they are facing seem minor and don’t
carry much of a punishment. Thinking this way is a mistake.
Even if you are just facing a low-level
misdemeanor charge, there will be consequences today and in the future – and
even the minor-sounding offenses are often worse than you think. Maybe you
“escape” with community service and fines or simply having to take a class that
is designed to prevent you from repeating the behavior. For many people, these
charges are still going to end up impacting their lives in meaningful ways. The
most experienced criminal attorneys know how to get the best possible outcome
and keep your record clean.
Getting charged criminally is bad enough,
and may create a strain on you and your friends, family members, and coworkers.
But if you end up being convicted, you’re going to carry a criminal record
around with you for the rest of your life. That is something that will make all
kinds of things that you take for granted harder, including finding housing,
securing a loan, and getting a job.
No matter what type of criminal charge you
are facing, you need to work with an experienced criminal attorney to make sure
that you receive the best possible outcome.
Only the best criminal defense attorney has
the experience and can think as a prosecutor to best anticipate the
government’s strategy and formulate the right plan, at the right time to defeat
it
How Can a Criminal Defense Attorney Keep
You Out of Jail?
Incarceration Can Be Avoided in Most Cases
If the Defendant Receives Superior Legal Representation
When someone is under investigation or
charged with a crime, it is normal to be afraid and concerned about many
different things. Will I lose my job? Will I lose my children? Is this going to
cause a divorce? Am I going to get kicked out of school? Inevitably, you will
also be concerned about the possibility of going to jail. Because the stakes
are so high, it is important to consult with an experienced attorney who can
spend time answering your questions, hearing your story, and alleviating your
fears. The information in this blog is intended to provide you some basic
information and answers to general questions.
“How can a criminal defense attorney keep
me out of jail?”
One of the main reasons people hire an
experienced criminal defense attorney, as opposed to representing themselves or
waiting for the court to appoint an attorney, is because they are concerned
about jail time. You would want to personally discuss this question and your
other concerns with an attorney because the best defense, in any case, is
unique and tailored to each client and each case. A good and caring lawyer will
take the time to listen to your concerns and talk with you about what strategy
might be best to avoid a conviction and jail sentence. The options and
strategies at a lawyer’s disposal are only limited by his or her will to fight
for the client and that person’s experience or lack of experience.
“What kind of lawyer should I hire for a
felony or misdemeanor?”
The first step in finding the best possible
lawyer to represent you begins with deciding what type of lawyer you need. The
thing you need to consider is whether you need a general practice attorney, a bargain
lawyer, or a criminal defense specialist. For instance, imagine for a moment
that a person is suffering from a serious heart condition. If that person wants
the best medical care, should he seek out a general, family-style doctor or a
cardiologist? For anything important in your life, you would want a specialist.
Seeking representation on a criminal charge can be viewed similarly. Once you
figure out the type of lawyer that is best suited to your situation, you can
meet with one or more lawyers and chose the person that is the best fit for you
and your circumstances. You would want someone who specializes in defending
people on felony and misdemeanor cases and has a track record of winning in
court. A criminal defense specialist is an attorney whose legal practice is
dedicated entirely to criminal defense and nothing else.
“Can a court-appointed lawyer keep me out
of jail just as well as retained counsel?
In many cases, the secret to keeping a
client out of jail and obtaining the best possible result is preparation,
organization, and proactivity. A retained lawyer can start the process of
collecting favorable evidence, preparing a defense, advising the client to take
mitigating measures (like therapy, AA, polygraph tests, forensic evaluations,
and more), and a retained attorney can begin this process either before charges
are filed or early on in the case. You will not be given a court-appointed
lawyer during an investigation. The lack of counsel can result in police
officers collecting evidence against you that could have been avoided.
Additionally, lack of counsel can result in a missed opportunity to prevent the
charge from ever going to court. A seasoned, successful attorney will know how
to collect favorable evidence that can be used to defend you before it is
altered or destroyed.
Additionally, only retained counsel can
negotiate with the police before a charge to avoid or reduce impending charges.
Finally, a retained attorney can obtain an agreement from the police not to
make an arrest and permit the defendant to self-surrender and get a personal or
lower bond. Failure to hire experienced and effective retained counsel at the
beginning of a case can result in an unnecessarily high bond and your
incarceration through the pendency of the case.
“What information is important when a judge
is deciding whether to order jail time?”
A great many factors go into a judge’s
decision regarding the possibility of jail or prison. Things like criminal
history, the facts of the crime, damage caused, or injuries that resulted from
the offense, whether the defendant is remorseful, and the chances of
rehabilitation are all important. A long criminal history increases the chances
of incarceration, for example. Conversely, a defendant that has taken proactive
measures to get mental health therapy or substance abuse treatment stands a
better chance of being placed on probation without jail.
