Family law encompasses a wide range of situations that affect how you and those closest to you live. Adoption, child custody and support, marriage and divorce, business ownership and shared finances, and even determinations of physical capacity and mental competence fall within the scope of family law. 

Even when disputes do not arise over such matters, state and local governments usually require paperwork and court action on decisions that affect spouses, children, disabled and ill relatives, and jointly owned companies and shared bank accounts. In many important ways, family law mirrors contract law, making advice and representation from a family law attorney as important as consulting and working with a lawyer when buying a house, setting up a corporate partnership, or settling an estate after a loved one’s passing. 

Here are the four most significant reasons you should consider hiring a family law attorney. 

You Need a Neutral Third-Party 

Family disputes often spark great emotion. Your family lawyer will not have a personal stake in the outcome and will listen to your version of events without prejudging anything. He or she will consider what is in your best interest without getting distracted by perceived insults, attempts at recriminations, or a desire to personally profit at your expense. 

You Need an Expert 

Ohio laws regarding marriage, divorce, child custody and the rest, as well as the procedures you must follow to create legally enforceable relationships and obligations, are complicated. Filling out a form incorrectly, missing paperwork deadlines, and submitting documents to the wrong offices can jeopardize your case. Your family law attorney will make sure that lack of procedural knowledge, technical errors, and inattention to detail do not prevent you from achieving your desired outcome. 

You Must Consider Alternatives and Second Opinions 

As a neutral expert, your family law attorney functions as a paid legal consultant. You can ask him or her any question and share all information in full confidentiality and expect to receive informed and ethical advice. Your lawyer will consider all the information and let you know which legal strategies will have the greatest chances of helping you succeed. He or she can also talk you through the pros and cons of proposals from other parties involved in your dispute and offer second opinions on whether to appeal a judge’s ruling or to trust and act on statements from another lawyer. 

Courtroom Representation 

Every family law case does not end up in front of a judge, but many do. Your family law attorney will speak for you in court, work to ensure that as much evidence that supports your case is presented, and take steps to make sure that the other side in the dispute follows all the rules for collecting and presenting evidence. A full-service family law attorney will also be able to assist and represent you during pretrial negotiations, mediations, and arbitrations. 

Let an Edward F. Whipps & Associates family law attorney know if he or she can be of service to you. An initial consultation will cost you nothing, so call us at (614) 461-6006. You can also request an appointment with a lawyer by completing this contact form.