Make The Right Decisions With The Help Of An Attorney

Since 1997, we at Durward & Durward, Attorneys at Law, have helped hundreds of clients with divorces and other family-related issues. Some of our clients have turned to us at the beginning of the legal process, while others have waited until issues arose that made an attorney’s assistance necessary. Regardless of where you are in the process, the benefits of having an attorney on your side, helping you make the right decisions, are numerous.

Attorneys Provide Clarification, Facilitate Negotiations And Ensure Fairness

Divorce, child custody and other family law issues are just that — legal issues. For those who are not lawyers, the lack of understanding of Alabama’s laws often leads to confusion and complications. With the help of an attorney, you can understand more about all the aspects of family law, including the following typically confusing topics:

  • Property division: The key to ensuring the equitable division of property lies in understanding the difference between what the court views as marital property versus separate property. Under Alabama’s equitable distribution laws, the classification of property and other assets is key to ensuring a just and fair divorce agreement. Our attorneys can help you classify your assets, which will allow you to know what to expect from your divorce.
  • Child custody: Child custody comes in many forms, including legal and physical and joint and sole. Having legal custody of a child allows a parent to make important decisions for that child, such as educational, religious and medical decisions; meanwhile, the parent with whom a child resides has physical custody. Joint custody, which is becoming more common in the state, means that parents share custody of a child or children, while sole custody means custody is awarded to only one parent.
  • Alimony: Alimony is court-ordered spousal support paid by one party to the other. Most clients have questions regarding the payment or receipt of alimony. In Alabama, the court will decide whether to award alimony and, if so, how much based on a number of factors. Our attorneys can examine your specific situation to estimate how the court is likely to view your circumstances.
  • Uncontested divorce: A true uncontested divorce, meaning one in which neither spouse disagrees with any of the aspects of the agreement, is more rare than one might think. In fact, many of our clients began the divorce process with an “uncontested” divorce only to find that agreements were not made readily. With the help of an attorney, you have the opportunity to create a mutually beneficial agreement or negotiate points of contention. Should negotiations fail, your attorney can represent your interests in court.
  • Child support: Most parents actively want to help support their children financially, but some, after learning the amount they are expected to pay, view the level of court-ordered support as extravagant. Our legal team can help you understand how Alabama determines child support amounts, and they can help you seek a deviation from the standard if warranted by your situation.

Still Wondering “Why Hire An Attorney?”

If you are still unsure whether you need an attorney for family law proceedings, you can learn more about the benefits of having a lawyer with no risk. We schedule an initial consultations at our law office in Birmingham to all of our prospective clients. If you would like to take advantage of our offer, simply call 205-791-7260 or email our office.

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