Most people don’t realize this, but family law goes above and beyond the usual rigors of divorce and custody disputes. Family law covers everything that might apply to your day-to-day family life like non-parent guardianship, power of attorney, prenups, wills, and updating divorce terms. Today, we’re here to highlight five everyday situations that Boca Raton families go through where you will eventually need the help of a Boca Raton family law lawyer. While this is only a snapshot of what a family law attorney can do for you, it’s an important glimpse into the legal necessities of everyday life.
Grandparents Seeking Guardianship
When we hear about a lawyer helping with custody, most people envision a fighting divorced couple. In reality, there are thousands of examples of non-parent guardianship and custody that need to be legally finalized for the child’s best interests. Grandparents, in particular, often find the need to seek legal assistance in establishing their legal right to raise their grandchildren. This often happens while the child’s parents are still living, but for some reason are unavailable.
A Boca Raton family law lawyer can help grandparents and other on-parent guardians take legal responsibility for children that have fallen into their care.
Divorce Renegotiation
Divorces aren’t always about fighting, and after a few years life may change in a way that makes your old divorce agreement less useful than it once was. Perhaps a new job has changed how the two of you are able to split your lives. Perhaps circumstances that were once important have faded and no longer need to be legally defined. Whatever the reason, ex-spouses often find they have reason to re-write their divorce terms and a family law lawyer can help.
Step-Parent Rights Disputes
Step-parents are a complication few divorcees have planned for before it happens. One day, you (and/or your ex) will have a new person in your life who lives in your house, comes to love your kids, and needs legal permission to take the kids to doctor’s appointments or pick them up from school.
Step-parents may also find themselves in a situation where they are the best guardian for a child in a hectic situation and need to have a legal right to provide total parenting. These situations are very normal, and a smart family will make sure step-parent rights are established when a new co-parent is added to the mix and is ready to commit long-term to parenting the kids.
Alimony Discontinuation
Instances of alimony are increasingly rare as income equality becomes the norm in modern marriages. Also rare, is alimony that goes on forever. In the vast majority of modern spousal support agreements are terms where the support ends. When the supported ex gets a better job, gets married again (or the lifestyle equivalent), or if the supporting spouse’s income drops; these are all reasons why alimony payments can and should stop.
But to call off the court order to pay, you’ll need the help of a Boca Raton family law lawyer to officially end the agreement.
Legal Guardianship of an Elderly Relative
Finally, there are family law concerns that have nothing at all to do with custody or divorce, like accepting power of attorney for an elderly relative. All families deal with older generations, and eventually your elderly parents or more distant relatives will need someone to speak for them should wind up very ill or in the hospital. Power of attorney is something that, by default, belong’s first to one’s parents and then to one’s spouse. But there is no one in those roles, a younger relative will need to legally step up and take on their older relative’s power of attorney through the help of a Boca Raton family law lawyer.
Can our law office be of help to you? If you are going through one of the mentioned everyday situations or a similar family event that requires the help of a family law attorney, contact us today. Our team will be happy to consult on your personal situation and the correct legal steps to accomplish your family law goals.