Jami K Fosgate

The mediation process can help you resolve disputes without going to court. In a mediation proceeding, a neutral third party (a mediation lawyer) meets with you and the person you disagree with. The mediator acts as a facilitator, helping you negotiate until a solution is found. Mediation is the most informal process for dispute resolution and is usually the least expensive method.

Family law includes laws of marriage, civil unions, same-sex relationships, domestic partnerships, divorce, separation, property settlements and domestic violence. If you need help with a family-related legal issue, a family law attorney can advise in family disputes as well as represent you in lawsuits.

A divorce lawyer helps you if you no longer want to be married. Whether you want a legal separation or the marriage ended, divorce lawyers assist you to arrange financial and family matters, typically in a negotiation with your spouse's lawyer. Child custody, child support, and a fair division of community assets (like who keeps the house or how your checking and savings accounts are divided) are matters that a divorce lawyer is trained to help determine.

If you are a parent and you divorce, the parent the child lives with often receives money (child support) from the parent no longer living with the child. Unlike spousal support, which is paid to maintain an ex-spouse's lifestyle, child support pays for the child's physical, emotional, and educational needs. A child support lawyer can help parents negotiate and calculate child support, either by agreement or in court.

If you are getting divorced and have children, part of the divorce agreement will involve determining where and with whom the children will live. A child custody lawyer can help you negotiate custody, either by agreement or in court. Some parents opt for joint custody, which means children divide their time between both parents' homes, and parents share the right to make decisions on behalf of the children. If you as parents are unable to agree on child custody, a judge will decide for you.