When you’re battling for your family’s future, it’s important to get the help you need from an experienced point cook divorce lawyer. Bryce Cook is ready to represent your best interests and protect you and your children throughout the entire process of divorce, adoption, or other family law cases.
He knows exactly what to do, when to do it, and how to make sure your case is handled in a thorough professional manner.
Child Custody
Child custody is a complex issue that affects many different aspects of a point cook divorce lawyer’s client’s financial situation. It may involve drafting multiple custody and visitation schedules, tracking expenses and time with the children, creating a parenting plan, and much more.
Traditionally, family law professionals have favored joint legal custody as the best option for most families. This is because it gives both parents a say in major decisions for their children, including health care and educational plans.
However, in extreme cases where one parent has been deemed unfit to care for the children due to abuse, violence, or mental illness, sole legal custody can be ordered.
In many cases, parents can reach a resolution on child custody and visitation issues without having to go through a court order. Most states offer some form of alternative dispute resolution or mediation to help parents come to an agreement on these matters.
Child Support
The court determines how much child support to award each parent based on the income of both parents. This amount is usually a percentage of the parent’s monthly income, which may remain the same or change with each child’s needs.
While there is no obligation to report the use of child-support money on a monthly basis, courts will not look the other way when a custodial parent incurs expenses in caring for a child that are not covered by the order. This can include things like food, clothing, shelter, furniture, toiletries and other costs associated with the child staying with that parent.
This type of support may also be used to pay for “extraordinary” medical expenses, such as co-pays and deductibles, dental braces, casts, eyeglasses or other special health care costs. It’s important to discuss these costs with your point cook divorce lawyer and find ways to make them work within the support guidelines in place.
Property Division
Property division is one of the most contested issues in divorce. It can be especially difficult to divide a family home, which is often the most important asset for both parties and their children.
Most states use a rule called equitable distribution to determine how a couple’s assets are split in a divorce. This means that instead of simply dividing marital property, the court will look at each party’s needs and the circumstances of the case to decide how best to allocate assets and debts.
This includes things like how long the couple was married, whether they used their separate property to help make improvements on a family home and how much value was added to a retirement account during the marriage. The longer the marriage, the more likely something will be considered to be marital property, and that can make a big difference in how much is paid to each spouse in the final divorce settlement.
Adoption
Adoption is a way to provide children with the security, permanency and love of a new family. It is a lifelong commitment and requires constant dedication.
It is important to understand the many legal issues that can arise during the adoption process, including those related to child support. An adoption attorney can help you navigate these difficult issues and ensure that your adoption experience goes smoothly.
If you are planning to adopt, it is recommended that you interview several adoption professionals before choosing one. Look for a professional that focuses on matching services and has a dedicated team to match birth parents with adoptive families.
