Family lawyers commonly handle cases involving divorces, marital agreements, and child custody and support. These cases are all complex, both legally and emotionally. An experienced attorney could work with a party to protect their rights and work towards agreements that are fair for all involved.

Proactive couples may benefit from an attorney’s help drafting prenuptial or postnuptial agreements to avoid potential conflict in the future. As these legal matters can be highly emotional, it is often helpful to have a legal professional present who could offer advice and counsel on difficult decisions.

Additionally, legal and courtroom processes are technical and often confusing. Hiring a family attorney in Prescott could help an individual better protect their interests and rights.

Family Law Cases Involving Children in Prescott

The most significant consideration in family law cases involving children is custody. Custody may come into play in situations where parents are going through a divorce or were never married. When it comes to who should have custody of minor children, the court looks at the child’s interests above those of either parent. Some issues that courts consider will include:

• The mental and physical health of the parents
• The child’s relationship with each parent
• The ability of the parents to provide a stable environment
• Whether the parents engaged in any acts of domestic abuse or violence
• How well-adjusted the child is to their home and their surrounding community

Courts might appoint a representative for the child, known as a Guardian ad litem (GAL). The GAL represents the child, not either of the parents, and will work to determine the child’s best interests, especially in cases where the parents strongly disagree.

Courts will also work to set child support in cases involving children. The state law details child support obligations in ARS. Section 25-501(A). A court will not have the authority to set these amounts as it sees fit but will need to follow the statute unless there is a solid argument for a deviation. A Prescott attorney could provide essential legal guidance on these family law matters.