Do You Need Family Law Advice for Your Divorce?

A divorce doesn't always need the services of a family law attorney; two people who are splitting amicably can often write up their own agreement about property division and spousal support, if any, and simply submit a copy of this agreement to the court. As long as the judge doesn't see anything objectionable, he or she will usually sign off on that agreement, and the couple simply follows it.

However, not all divorces are this easy, of course. Note when it's good to call a family lawyer for a divorce, even if you don't have much property and even if you and your spouse are attempting to split up as amicably as possible.

When your or your spouse's visa status may get affected

If you're in the country on a spouse visa or your spouse was given a spouse visa to join you in the country, a divorce may affect that visa, depending on when it was issued and under what circumstances. For very short marriages, the immigration department may wonder if the marriage was fraudulent just so that one spouse could obtain that visa.

In any case, it's good to consult with a family lawyer so you can see how the divorce would affect that visa's validity, if at all, and how to manage the separation while avoiding legal entanglements with the immigration department. He or she can also often advise on how the spouse with the visa could remain in the country even after the divorce.

When you are in business together with your spouse

The business that you own with your spouse may be seen as joint property that should be split, or the business may be considered separate from the marital assets and may not be affected by the divorce. In that case, you and your spouse may simply need to work out how you'll manage it as business partners rather than a married couple. Since the business may be affected in various ways according to its own paperwork and daily management, it's good to have a family lawyer note how best to keep it running smoothly and protect everyone's interests.

When you have serious disagreements about how to raise the children

You and your spouse may agree on visitation times and child support issues but may strongly disagree on issues like raising the child in a certain religion, which school to send the children, how to discipline them and the like. A family lawyer can advise on the rights of each spouse when it comes to raising the children and how those rights may be affected by visitation schedules and other custody matters.

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