Livermore Family Lawyer

Livermore Family Law Attorney

There are many different legal conflicts that all fall under the umbrella of family law. These typically all revolve around disputes between family members. Some of the most common cases found in this discipline include divorce, marriage, child custody, and adoption. If you are in the middle of your own family law battle, hiring a Livermore family lawyer can help by taking on your case and serving as your legal representation in and out of court.

At Tierney Law Group, P.C., we have a strong appreciation for how sensitive and personal family law issues can be. From the beginning of each case, we take our time to better understand what our clients want to achieve and how we can help to expedite the process. To ease the stress and anxiety that can come with these cases, we take on the majority of the legal burdens to allow our clients to focus more on the personal matters that are also in play.

What Are the Most Common Family Law Cases in Livermore, California?

There are many different disputes that occur in family law court in Livermore, California. All of these have varying levels of contention that will impact how long it takes before they are resolved. Some of the most common cases include:

Divorce and Legal Separation

When two people agree to divorce, it means that they want to formally end their marriage. During this process, the parting couple will need to address many issues before they can move forward independently, such as dividing marital assets. If the couple wants to live apart but still be recognized as a married couple in California, they could enter a legal separation. This grants them the independence they may desire while still keeping certain marital benefits intact.

Child Custody and Visitation

If a divorcing couple has children together, decisions regarding custody and visitation will need to be made. A custody arrangement can either be shared or split between both parents depending on their ability to still be an effective support system for the child as they venture into life on their own. If one parent is granted full custody, the other parent will likely be awarded visitation rights so they can still maintain a bond with their child, even if they no longer live together.

Child Support

Child support cases involve determining how much money a higher-earning parent should pay the lower-earning parent to ensure their children are able to have their basic needs satisfied regardless of which parent they are spending time with. These payments can be used on items such as rent or mortgage for the children’s shelter, food for each meal, clothing, and medical expenses.

Adoption

When a non-biological parent wants to adopt a child, they will need to enter the adoption process in California. This process can be complicated, requiring a number of background checks, home studies, and other legal proceedings in court to ensure that the new family arrangement would be advantageous for both the parents and adopted child involved. After the adoption process is finalized, the new parents will officially be awarded all legal rights over the child.

Domestic Violence and Orders of Protection

When someone is either physically or mentally abused by their partner, this could be classified as a case of domestic violence. In these instances, the abused individual can contact a family law attorney to help issue an order of protection. This would legally force the alleged abuser to stay away from the individual who issued the order until the legal case is resolved in court. These orders can temporarily take children away from an alleged abuser until the case is over as well.

FAQs

Q: How Much Does a Family Lawyer Cost in California?

A: The total cost of your family law services will depend on the specific circumstances of your case, such as how complicated the issues are to resolve and how many years of experience your attorney has. In addition to time and experience, it is also important to ask your attorney how they prefer to be paid. Some charge hourly for their services, while others prefer to charge by service or request a retainer to be paid upfront before they start working on your case.

Q: Why Do You Need a Family Lawyer in California?

A: Family lawyers in California are critical legal resources to help navigate the complexities of family law. Because the average citizen of Livermore does not have a formal background in law, hiring an attorney can fill in this knowledge and experience gap. It will also be of value to have an extra set of eyes on your case to ensure no one takes advantage of your rights or tries to minimize the total amount of compensation you could earn, given the details of your case.

Q: What Should I Bring to My Initial Family Law Consultation?

A: You want to bring as much information about your case as you can for your first meeting with your attorney. Any evidence you have to substantiate the claims you are making will be highly valuable. You should also bring a detailed list of questions and concerns you have about your case. This will give your attorney plenty of time to understand the details of your case and start crafting a legal strategy that can maximize the chances of you securing the outcome you want.

Q: How Will Evidence of Domestic Violence Impact a Child Custody Decision?

A: The courts will always prioritize the well-being of a child, so any evidence of one parent engaging in domestic violence will likely strip their rights to have unsupervised contact with their children. For example, the court might award full custody to the other parent while requiring all visitations with the other parent to be supervised by a third party. In cases where the domestic violence was especially heinous, visitation rights could be revoked as well.

Contact Tierney Law Group, P.C. Today

If you are facing the prospect of a family law case or litigation and need to secure quality legal representation, connect with the attorneys of Tierney Law Group, P.C. today. For years we have been proudly offering our legal services to the Livermore community and would be honored to apply our wisdom to your case. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.