Washington DC Family Lawyer
The real challenge in family law cases lies in reaching an agreement on core matters such as child support and custody, marital debt allocation, marital property division, and spousal support. Understandably, emotional investment in a relationship may cloud the ability of couples struggling with family issues to arrive at fair and economically sensible solutions.
If you are unfamiliar with family law provisions, it helps to consult with a competent DC family lawyer. The professional can address your concerns, explain the process, and help you remain focused on your options and goals throughout the process.
Litigation is not compulsory when it comes to family law issues in Washington DC. Couples can compromise without involving the courts, eliminating uncertainties and expenses that mar the court process. Although mediation without counsel is an option for you, seek the wisdom of an experienced family attorney before wading the waters by yourself. A compassionate and sensitive expert can help you navigate the conflict and uncertainties around marital disputes.
If you are struggling with family law in Washington DC, attorney Sharez Barkat, founder of the Barkat Law Firm, can help you with creative legal solutions geared to protect, preserve, and safeguard your rights. His extensive experience and attention to detail distinguish him from his peers, uniquely positioning him to tackle your case until you realize or surpass your expectations. It’s his commitment to success that has earned him a reputation of excellence in Washington DC family law.
Family Law Issues
Among the prominent areas Washington DC family law covers include:
Divorce
Divorce can be stressful but is the best alternative to remaining in an abusive or unhappy marriage. Children belonging to couples who are unhappy together are more likely to absorb the negative energy from their parent’s failed relationship or indulge in self-destructive behaviors. Moreover, the wrong relationship can be exhausting and dangerous, and victims are likely to waste lots of energy and time thinking about it.
Divorce can save you these negative energies, allowing you to focus on your and children’s lives. But it’s not a walk in the park. Often, divorce comes laden with issues, including but not limited to property and asset division, child custody and support, spousal support, and psychological and emotional burdens.
Common ways to solve divorce issues are litigation, mediation, negotiation. Regardless of your choice, an experienced and trusted DC family law attorney can handle your case with the utmost professionalism and sensitivity.
Prenuptial agreement
Several misconceptions revolve around prenuptial agreements in Washington DC. Among them is the assumption that partners don’t trust each other when they sign a prenuptial document. On the contrary, the agreement can strengthen your relationship, besides giving you the security of knowing how marital assets will be divided if your marriage fails.
In Washington DC, family law requires that parties signing a prenup to disclose their financial and wealth information voluntarily. A family attorney can help collect the necessary information and clarify critical facts about the agreement. Note that a prenup becomes valid only after the partners marry.
Postnuptial Agreement
Unlike a prenuptial agreement, a postnuptial agreement can only be entered by married partners and becomes valid when they sign it. Full financial disclosure by both parties is necessary.
The agreement becomes critical in situations that may make you financially dependent on your spouse. For instance, when you quit your job to manage the home or raise the kids.
A postnuptial agreement defines how marital assets will be divided when a marriage fails and how the earning spouse will support the dependent partner. The document should define marital property clearly. Involving a trusted family lawyer when preparing a postnuptial agreement ensures fairness and helps prevent unforeseen conflicts during divorce proceedings.
Spousal Support
Spousal support refers to court-ordered payments typically done by the higher-earning spouse to the lesser-earning partner when they divorce.
When a valid marital agreement is non-existent or when couples cannot agree on the spousal support to be paid after the marriage ends, a judge should make the final decision. The judge takes into account several factors, including:
- Living standards both parties enjoyed in their marriage.
- The self-reliance potential of the spouse seeking support
- The ability of the supporting partner to meet the parties’ financial demands
- Spouses’ age, mental and physical condition
- Available financial resources
- Length of marriage
To ensure fairness and equity in spousal support, consult a distinguished family attorney before the judge makes a legally binding decision. Your attorney can examine all your marriage’s facts and determine aspects likely to factor in the final ruling. The professional can also help you and your partner work towards a fair agreement if you opt for negotiation or mediation.
Child Custody
Reaching an agreement on child custody and visitation schedule is almost impossible, especially during contentious separation or divorce. Here, the court must enter a detailed agreement as an order, with DC child custody law requiring judges to make rulings in the children’s best interest.
There several custodial arrangements in Washington DCs, including legal custody, physical custody, and joint custody, among others the court may deem fit.
According to DC code section 16-914, legal custody refers to the legal responsibilities for a child and includes the rights to decide the child’s education, health, and general welfare. The law also allows the custodian to access the child’s medical, educational, and other records.
Physical custody caters to the child’s living arrangements, including their residency and visitation schedule.
In Washington DC, joint custody can mean 50/50 shared physical and legal custody. But one parent can maintain the primary decision-making rights and residential custody while the other retains the legal rights. Child neglect, abuse, domestic violence, and parental kidnapping are factors that necessitate the shift of custody from the parent convicted with the offense.
An attorney experienced in Washington DC laws can explain the differences between the custodial arrangements and help you draft a custody agreement that meets the court’s requirements and is in your children’s best interest.
Litigation or Negotiation?
Litigation is not the sole option in family law issues. With the help of a lawyer, couples can harness collaborative alternatives to negotiate resolutions without hostility.
One of the collaborative options is mediation. Here, couples collaborate with a neutral third-party to settle family matters such as divorce, child custody and support, debt allocation, and asset division. The parties engage in several meetings, each partner being represented by their attorneys. Other professionals, such as a divorce coach or financial analyst, can offer valuable insights into the matter.
Litigation comes in handy when communication fails, or collaborative options are unavailable. Sometimes, this option can serve to coerce the other party to participate in negotiation. Whichever the case, seek the services of a trusted Washington DC family lawyer to obtain the best possible outcome from your case.
Need Help with Family Law Issues in Washington DC?
Whether you want to use litigation or collaborative method to solve a family law case in Washington DC, there is no substitute for the assistance of a competent lawyer.
Attorney Sheraz brings years of experience in DC family law. His personalized approach and empathy have helped him obtain some of the best outcomes from the family issues he has negotiated and litigated. Call him at (202)-276-1167 or fill this online form to learn more about his legal services or schedule a free consultation.