A family law solicitor deals with all family cases, including divorce, child custody matters, protection orders and more. When dealing with complex cases, it is always important to have an experienced professional.
In Australia, the main legislation that deals with matters including divorce and separation, parenting arrangements, property separation, and financial maintenance is the Family Law Act 1975.
This article aims to explain in brief the various matters that a family court solicitor deals with and the qualities they must have. This is an important article for you if you are unsure about what to do next and find yourself in the middle of a particularly complicated case.
Cases That a Family Law Solicitor Deals With
Family law cases fall under civil cases and can include different issues. Mainly, these are domestic issues. These can include:
- Divorce/Separation
- De facto relationships
- Child custody arrangements
- Child support
- Property division
- Family violence
In all these cases, seeking the help of a family court solicitor would be of great advantage. Since lawyers know the ins and outs of family law cases, they can provide you objective advice and guide you through the legal process.
Another common family law case in NSW is name change requests. Click here to begin the process of registering your change of name. However, in some instances, change of name requests may carry with it complications. That’s why it’s important to talk to a family lawyer to help you understand the legal implications of such request.
Also, in cases where a parent has abused or harmed the child, the Family Court may decide to grant sole parental responsibility to the other parent. Lawyers can evaluate the evidence you have to support your case, such as records of abuse, neglect, or communication difficulties with the other parent.
Lastly, a family law solicitor can help people get protection orders against domestic violence in the form of AVOs or ADVOs. Practically, they can assess your situation and advise you on whether you meet the criteria for an AVO, such as experiencing physical violence, threats, or stalking.
What Are Other Issues That a Family Court Solicitor Deals With?
There are a variety of matters that they are well-equipped to deal with. Primarily, the services they offer is to ensure that once a couple has divorced or separated, they are able to reach agreements such that both parties are satisfied with the outcome.
This is because if a party is dissatisfied, it can lead to unnecessary disputes. The breakdown of a relationship is emotionally draining. To face conflicts after the separation is difficult, as it takes a greater mental toll on the involved parties.
The other matters that family lawyers can help with include:
- Binding financial agreements, or prenuptial agreements
- Spousal maintenance, or spousal support
- Parenting arrangements and parenting plans
- Parental rights and grandparents’ rights
- Mediation
- Arbitration
READ: 2024 Family Law Changes
Qualities of a Good Family Court Solicitor or Family Law Solicitor
When you seek a lawyer to help you out with your personal matters, you have to ensure that they possess certain traits. These characteristics largely depend on the expertise of the lawyer. The following are the certain personality traits that you need to look for in a family lawyer:
1. Compassionate
Your lawyer must be compassionate and have a good understanding of your emotional and mental state. This is because all family law cases are deeply personal.
The impacts of these cases are critical as it can alter someone’s life forever. For example, divorce is a life-changing event. Thus, having a professional who empathises with you and helps you is vital.
2. Trustworthy
It is the lawyer’s responsibility to understand their clients wishes. As a client, you should be able to trust that your lawyer will act on your behalf and ensure that you reach the outcomes that you asked for.
You also should be able to trust your lawyer to give you all the information you need and to keep you in the loop at all times throughout the legal process.
3. Competent skill set
In dealing with any case, it is imperative that your lawyer knows what the right plan of action should be. Your family law solicitor needs to have the technical knowledge of how laws work and the practical knowledge to apply those laws to your situation to get the best possible result.
4. Accessibility and communication
They must always be accessible to you and communicating with them should be very easy. When you talk to them about your troubles, they should listen to you properly. Also, they must regularly provide you with case updates, and they should review your matter thoroughly to suggest new approaches and strategies for your case.
5. Transparency
Because you are trusting the lawyer with your personal matters, it is important that they remain transparent with you with regards to both the fees that they charge and the way the legal processes are going to be handled.
A great family law solicitor will also provide a ‘costs agreement’ which details the estimate of legal costs right from the start.
Why JB Solicitors Is the Family Law Firm for You
An important consideration you should make when looking for a family court solicitor is how much experience they have. The team of family lawyers at JB Solicitors has extensive knowledge of family law which they have gained over several years of practice.
We offer family law services that are tailored to suit your needs and circumstances. Moreover, we combine high-quality expertise with individualised attention to ensure that our clients receive the best possible outcomes.
For us, the importance of helping our community is unparallled, and so we are always available for after-hours consultations as well.
Our passionate family lawyers are dedicated to helping you and tackling all legal matters for you. At JB Solicitors, we offer fixed-fee pricing for our services. We wish to encourage transparency in all our procedures and provide a cost statement to give you a clear sense of the legal costs from the start.
Our lawyers are here to help you every step of the way. We understand how stressful these matters can get, and we are well-equipped to address all your legal concerns.
Contact our experienced and compassionate team of family lawyers today.
