What exactly is family law?
- Written by News Company
As with most professions law is broken up into many different areas. It could be criminal or commercial or maritime. There are terms like lawyers, solicitors, conveyancers, barristers and advocates. There are magistrates and judges and various different courts. In short it is all quite complicated and something of a minefield for the average person. Fortunately, most people don’t need to deal with lawyers or the legal world too often. But there is one area that does affect most people during the course of their life, and that is the area of family law. So, what exactly is family law and where do you find people who specialize in this field. Here are a few examples of where you might come into contact with such people.
When it is all good
Getting married is a two-fold process. There is generally a religious angle to the union but there is also a legal component. It is this latter part for which you need the legal expert. A quick online search for something like, ‘family law lawyers Sydney’ should return the appropriate results – a list of people specializing in this area of practice. These are the people who will draft you and ante-nuptial contract that will cover off the financial terms and scenarios which you are bringing to the marriage. In short, when all is good with your relationship it is best to draft where you are at and what you are each contributing to the mix such that if it ever goes wrong you have a properly documented contract that protects you both.
When it all goes wrong
As much as nobody ever expects their marriage to turn sour, statistics show that this is often a reality. It is sad but true. And navigating your way out of a marriage is generally a lot harder than it is finding your way in. The reality is that when it all goes wrong there is acrimony and emotion, shattered dreams and anger. Those feelings make it hard to move forward constructively and it is through engaging with a family law expert that matters can be sorted objectively and within the guidelines of the law. Without a doubt you should try your hardest not to divorce, but if it must happen then make sur that you have the backing of a top-class legal team.
Children
Having a child can be a simple process. We all know how the birds and bees work. But for some it is a little more complicated and it involves legal processes rather than biological ones. We are talking adopting or fostering children, a life-choice that can be extremely rewarding and life-changing but one that is often not easily navigated alone. When adopting or fostering a parent agrees to make somebody else’s child their own. In order to ensure that there are no comebacks and that the interests of all parties are considered and that the rights of the child are protected, a family lawyer will draft the papers and have oversight on the whole process. They are experts in this area and a critical part of the process.