AREAS OF DIVORCE/FAMILY LAW PRACTICE

MEDIATION- A voluntary settlement process, on one or more issues to help parties reach an agreement. All Family Law issues can be mediated including:

• Divorce; legal separation
• Child custody and parenting arrangements
• Identifying, valuing and dividing marital property
• Division of debts
• Child support, spousal support and/or family support
• Post-divorce modification of support, custody or visitation. 

COLLABORATIVE FAMILY LAW- A way of practicing law whereby the attorneys for both of the parties to a dispute agree to assist in resolving conflict using cooperative strategies rather than adversarial techniques and litigation. The core of Collaborative Family Law is interest based negotiation. The goals and interests of both spouses are articulated and considered as solutions are reached.

CONSULTATIONS- Meetings with a client and/or assistance with a particular issue.

LITIGATION- A process by which issues are presented to the court for a decision. All areas of family law can be litigated. Our office represents one party to the action. On behalf of our client, the office would do the following:

• Draft pleadings that are filed with the court.
• Respond to pleadings from the opposing side.
• Appear as your attorney at court hearings and if necessary, trial.
• Take steps to identify the assets and debts of the parties. 

FAMILY LAW APPEALS- A process by which a decision/order of the Superior Court is appealed to the Court of Appeals. An appeal is not a retrial of the Superior Court case. No new evidence is admissible and there are no witnesses. The appealing side (applicant) files a written argument based on the evidence at trial and seeks to show the court of appeal that the decision/order of the Superior Court should be reversed.

ATTORNEY-TO-ATTORNEY SERVICES- Offered to assist attorneys in bringing their cases to a satisfactory completion on an expediated basis. 

• Designed to assist counsel in mediation, arbitration (binding or non-binding), special master or Judge Pro Tem for hearings, settlement conferences and trials.
• Additional assistance as an attorney in matters on a limited basis including: consultations, depositions, settlement conferences and/or litigation.

Please call or e-mail our Vista office for information regarding your divorce, custody or family law matter.