There are many reasons why you might need to contact a family law attorney. Perhaps the most common reason is to file for divorce. For this reason alone, many family lawyers are better known as divorce lawyers. Divorce is one of the main responsibilities of family law; however, it is only one of the areas in which an attorney can help.

Family lawyers cover almost any legal action that involves the family unit; from prenuptial agreements before marriage, to adoption during marriage, or dissolution of marriage. One thing many people don’t realize is that family lawyers also offer advice when there are serious problems with a marriage. In fact, they are required by law to try to help their clients resolve their problems before divorce becomes the only answer.

Many family lawyers receive special training in counseling and negotiation skills, along with their law degrees. This is because many of the cases they handle involve highly emotional situations. They need the extra training to be able to deal with people who are stressed or very emotional, depending on the reason they hired an attorney. Sometimes happy events require the help of legal representation; for example, the adoption of a child.

There are many reasons to contact a family lawyer:

Child Custody: A family law specialist can help you negotiate with your spouse during the divorce process to make sure your children stay with the parent who can best care for them.

Child support: If you cannot resolve your differences, the attorney can help you figure out a child support payment that will allow you both to survive and ensure that your children are covered.

Visitation rights: Family attorneys can negotiate a visitation schedule that works for both you and your spouse and allows your children to spend time with each of you.

Adoption: The adoption of a child can be one of the best reasons to contact a legal representative. However, adoptions can be complicated and it is a very good idea to have a lawyer review all paperwork related to the adoption.

Separation: Sometimes a separation will help you and your spouse work out the problems in your marriage.

Protection from abuse: If your marriage resulted in abuse, then you really need an attorney to help provide you with the protection you deserve. They can get restraining orders filed so you no longer have to live in fear.

These are just some of the reasons why you may need to contact a family law attorney. However, they do give a fair representation of the types of cases an attorney typically handles. Family law is an emotionally charged field of practice and it takes a special type of person to deal with these emotions. You need a person who can remain calm and reasonable even when your clients don’t feel that way.