Family Law
Divorce/Dissolution
The dissolution of a marriage can require investigation into a party’s right to support, an investigation into assets and debts, the valuation of complicated asset structures, businesses, investments, and an equitable distribution of property. A divorce brings on complicated financial problems and emotional exhaustion for all parties involved. Alexander Family Law will walk you through each step in the process and explain your options along the way so that you can make an informed decision on a course of action that meets your goals.
Custody
Custody is now referred to as allocation of decision-making responsibilities. It is this subject and parenting time that are frequently a parent’s primary concern when going through a divorce or parentage dispute. As a parent, I understand the complex emotional strain that a parent experiences in domestic relations disputes. Children should not be considered leverage in a domestic dispute and parents should not underestimate the necessity of maintaining the mental health of each minor child during the process.
Child Support/Maintenance
Calculating child support and maintenance (formerly known as alimony) requires more than just a statutory formula. The data used within the statutory formula requires knowledge of varying types of income streams, including business owners, corporate compensation, and additional benefits. Negotiating support includes presenting cogent arguments to the Court and the opposing party to ensure the right expenses and income are included.
Collaborative Law
The collaborative model allows participants to control the outcome of their case with a team of professionals working together to help both parties reach an outcome that is acceptable. Parties in a collaborative case recognize that it is better for the family to stay out of a courtroom and resolve their case by negotiation and not litigation. This method is for individuals of varying circumstances including those with or without children, and with basic or complex financial circumstances.
Mediation
Mediation allows parties to control the outcome of the case by taking the matter out of a courtroom and into a conference room. As a distinction from collaboration, one mediator works with the parties to reach a reasonable conclusion that is acceptable to all. Mediation can occur with the parties alone, or with their respective attorneys assisting in the process. In addition to assisting clients negotiating in mediation, I also serve as a mediator for complicated and simple cases, either by agreement of the parties, or by judicial appointment in Lake County.
Orders of Protection
Orders of Protection may be sought during the course of a domestic relations matter, or entirely separate and unrelated to any other domestic relations case. Orders of Protection are specifically for those experiencing domestic violence which applies to certain individuals with whom a person has a domestic connection, which could be a spouse, former spouse, child, parent, domestic cohabitant, or former domestic cohabitant.
Prenuptial/Postnuptial/
Cohabitation Agreements
Prenuptial Agreements are not just for individuals with substantial assets to protect. In fact, such agreements are a contract between two individuals intending to marry that sets forth the agreed-upon contractual terms in the event a marriage ends in a divorce. These terms can include identification of non-marital assets, distribution of marital assets and payment of marital expenses, and pre-determination of maintenance. Although no one enjoys preparing for a possible divorce before the marriage has even started, having the contract terms determined in a prenuptial agreement allows individuals the freedom to not worry about the “what-ifs” and instead focus efforts on improving the marriage.
Postnuptial Agreements are contracts like Prenuptial Agreements except that the participants are spouses after the marriage has already occurred. Postnuptial Agreements set forth terms just like a Prenuptial Agreement and can also include additional terms specific to marital assets acquired by the spouses since the marriage date.
Cohabitation Agreements are another type of contract entered into between two individuals who are not married and do not intend to marry, who may own assets together and/or have children together.
Adoptions
Adoptions most often by a step-parent that are uncontested are often the easiest and most cost-effective.