Family Law

The Dangers Of Not Hiring A Trusted Family Lawyer

The following article will cover:

• The top misconceptions people have about divorce and custody cases in Kentucky.
• How making agreements based on an assumption of court processes can hurt your finances and your family.
• The role an attorney can play in helping to relieve stress, guiding you to informed decisions, and protecting your interests.

What Are The Dangers Of Trying To Handle Your Family Law Case Without An Experienced Divorce And Family Law Attorney?

The realm of family law deals with the most important aspects of a person’s life. By trying to work through the complexities of the court system without the help of a trusted legal advisor, you risk far more than just losing your case. You risk upending your financial stability and devastating the people you care about most.

In family law cases, the courts expect you to follow the same rules that a lawyer would. If you don’t know how to file a claim, gather evidence, or properly present your case to a judge, you won't get any special treatment just because you're representing yourself. This means that missing even a single detail could jeopardize your entire case and cost you your money, your time, and your emotional well being.

What’s more, family courts place a high value on providing stability for children involved in legal conflicts. Because of this, it’s crucial to take thoughtful, proactive steps to make sure that you’re able to be there for your kids. If you choose to put off taking charge in a case regarding visitation or child custody, it can quickly come back to haunt you.

I’ve encountered many clients who want to defer to the other parent because it feels too overwhelming to deal with a custody battle during their divorce. In the process, a status quo emerges, and later down the road when that parent feels ready to make changes, the children are already in a stable position. Because the courts want to avoid disrupting the kids, that parent is often shut out.

You have to remember that working with an attorney on family law issues is about so much more than just “winning your side of the argument” – especially when it comes to issues of child custody and visitation. In this context, you’re dealing with the access you have to your children while they’re still children.

Unfortunately, Kentucky courts are not focused on making sure that you understand this. If you don’t know what your rights are, or if you don’t know how to properly advocate for yourself as a parent, the court will simply assume that you are okay with what’s taking place. The result could be that you lose out on time with your kids that you can never get back.

There are countless financial implications at play in these cases, too. Without a firm understanding of Kentucky laws, you could find yourself in a position where you’re paying far more in child support than you deserve to. Conversely, you could wind up with only a fraction of the child support you truly need. This can impact not only your financial stability, it can ripple out and impact the lives of your children, too.

The same thing can be true when it comes to the division of debts and assets in the divorce process. Many clients have come to me thinking that they’ve figured out what they want to do on their own. In reality, they’ve made assumptions about how the courts decide on certain issues and created an agreement based on their shared misunderstanding. Too often, these agreements are completely unfair.

Imagine thinking you're getting a fair deal, only to find out you've agreed to a situation that leaves you far worse off than anything a court would have decided. You could end up losing things that you’ve spent years building, take on debts that were never your responsibility, and even lose valuable time with your children as a part-time parent when you could have been there every day. With stakes that are this high, you have to ask yourself, “Am I comfortable with taking on more risk?”

Clearly, trying to figure out such complicated legal systems on your own with so much on the line doesn’t put you in the best position. But what’s even more important to realize is that this doesn’t mean that you need just any lawyer. This means that you need someone who really understands family law in Kentucky – someone who knows the judges, is familiar with the judicial system in each county, and is up to date on all of the changes happening in the law.

Family conflict is hard enough to manage on its own. When these issues balloon to the point where the law is involved, the level of stress can become truly remarkable. But there’s no reason you have to go through this alone. You deserve to put yourself and your family first by working with someone who will be a fierce advocate through the legal system, help you to navigate the complexities of your case, and make sure that your best interests are championed at every step of the way. For more information about Working With A Family Law Attorney In Kentucky, an initial consultation is your next best step.

More Information

• Relative And Kinship Adoptions In Kentucky: Understanding The Process
• The Path To Adoption In Kentucky: Laws And Procedures
• Navigating Protective Orders In Kentucky Family Law