Family law issues can be messy, complex, and emotional. Virtually every family law issue can benefit significantly from having a Cullman County family law lawyer who can help make sense of the issue, bringing advocacy and an unbiased perspective to the case. Family law attorneys deal with all sorts of family issues, including divorce, child custody cases, adoption, and paternity issues. Family lawyers also help those that need modifications of alimony or child support. Some of the best reasons to hire a Cullman County family law lawyer from Hankey Law Firm include:
- Your attorney will provide objective advice on emotional issues. When emotions are running high, it’s easy to make a hurried, rash decision that you later realize was not in your best interests. Having an objective family law attorney in your corner means you will receive objective, fact and experience-based advice on your issue. Your attorney can ensure you do not agree to a quick resolution that leaves you at a long-term disadvantage.
- When you choose a Cullman County family law lawyer from Hankey Law Firm, you will gain access to top-notch consultants, including appraisers, forensic accountants, and more. These professionals have the knowledge and experience to provide significant benefits to your case.
- Attorney Shelbie Hankey has considerable experience in and out of the courtroom. When it comes to litigation, there is no substitute for experience, yet few family lawyers have spent much time in the courtroom. At Hankey Law Firm, we have insight into the tactics used by opposing attorneys, as well as how judges will react to specific evidence and arguments.
- At Hankey Law Firm, we are familiar with opposing counsel. We have working relationships with many other attorneys in the business, as well as judges and court staff. We will draw upon these contacts to work effectively on your behalf, negotiating or litigating an outcome that is fair.
- Although attorney Shelbie Hankey is a highly experienced litigator, she can also advise clients on alternatives to litigation, including mediation for divorce or child custody issues. While this is not the best option for every couple, many have used mediation successfully to avoid the level of acrimony often involved in these matters.
Overview of Hankey Law Firm Family Law Services
When you choose a Cullman County family law lawyer from Hankey Law Firm, you have taken an important first step in ensuring your rights and future are properly protected. Attorney Shelbie Hankey has almost two decades of experience in family law issues which benefits you in a variety of ways. At Hankey Law Firm, we anticipate litigation from the beginning of every case. This level of comprehensive preparation ensures we are always 100 percent ready for any eventuality. Our firm makes communication with our clients a top priority. When clients call, they can almost always reach an attorney or a paralegal on the case. A live person will always answer your call.
We also utilize the client portal to communicate and send documents, so every client knows exactly what is happening in their case at any point in the process. Attorney Shelbie Hankey is meticulous in the planning and research necessary to prepare a family law case and tries to help every client make sense of their current circumstances. Helping clients find their way through a hurtful or harmful situation is the goal of Hankey Law Firm. We understand that family law issues come with worry, uncertainty, and an unfamiliarity with the legal process for most clients, and we will always go the extra mile to ensure you understand the process and know what will come next.
Overview of Hankey Law Firm Practice Areas
At Hankey Law Firm, we take pride in our ability to communicate with our clients. Communication can be the key to whether you feel comfortable with your attorney, as well as whether you trust your attorney’s ability to secure the best possible outcome on your behalf. Our firm handles the following family law issues:
- Divorce is an emotional issue, regardless of whether both parties are in favor of the divorce. According to Forbes, about 90 percent of all divorces eventually end up uncontested, although this only means that the issues at hand are eventually agreed upon, even if that “agreement” is ordered by a judge. The other ten percent are considered contested because the couple simply cannot reach agreements on all the issues. These divorces can drag on for many years. When you are going through a divorce there are many decisions you will be required to make—decisions that will have a significant impact on your future, particularly your financial future. You may be changing jobs, returning to work, moving out of the marital home, or any number of other issues that can leave you feeling overwhelmed. When you have a strong Cullman County family law lawyer from Hankey Law Firm on your side, you can concentrate on your future while your attorney ensures your financial future is properly protected.
- Alimony can be a difficult subject. While a lower-earning spouse may feel entitled to alimony, if the higher-earning spouse does not have the financial ability to pay, then no alimony will be awarded, Periodic alimony is usually only awarded in marriages of long duration. Spouses who gave up career and educational opportunities to benefit the other spouse may be entitled to receive periodic alimony. Those who were homemakers or spent years raising the children may also be entitled to periodic alimony. Rehabilitative alimony is meant to provide up to five years of additional income, allowing the lower-earning spouse to secure education, skills, or training that will help them become self-supporting.
- Child custody and child support are extremely important issues for parents. Physical custody refers to which parent’s home the children primarily live in, while legal custody refers to which parent makes important decisions regarding the religious upbringing, educational opportunities, and health decisions for the children. Generally speaking, one parent will be given primary physical custody while the other will receive visitation rights. Both parents may share legal custody if they are able to make those decisions cooperatively. If one parent has a history of abuse or drug and alcohol addiction, the other parent may receive sole custody, with no visitation or supervised visitation. Some parents are awarded joint physical custody, although this usually only works in situations where the parents live close to one another and are able to cooperatively make decisions regarding the children.
- Paternity issues have changed significantly with the advent of DNA testing. When paternity is in question, a DNA test can be ordered, definitively proving paternity. It is important for a child to know who his or her father is and it is important that the father helps financially support the child.
- Modifications of child support or alimony may become necessary when the financial or other situation of one party changes significantly. When a child support modification becomes necessary, it is usually due to additional needs of the child.
- Division of marital assets in the state of Alabama is determined under the rules of equitable distribution, as opposed to the handful of states that still operate under community property laws. Under community property laws, marital assets are divided right down the middle. Under equitable distribution laws, marital assets are divided fairly, though not necessarily equally. Before assets can be divided, it must be determined which assets are marital and which are separate.
- Adoption can be a way for individuals who want children to become parents. Most adoptions fall under private adoptions, international adoptions, or adoptions through the foster care system in the state. Private and international adoptions can be extremely expensive, while adoptions through the foster care system are much more affordable.
How Can a Family Law Attorney Help with a Divorce?
Your Cullman County family law lawyer from Hankey Law Firm understands the emotional nature of divorce. We will work hard to ensure your divorce settlement is fair to you financially, and that if children are involved, the custody arrangement will be in the best interests of your children. Always taking the time to listen to what you want as a resolution to your divorce issues, we can be an objective third party who is dedicated to protecting your future.
Hiring a Cullman County Family Law Lawyer Near You
When you need to hire a Cullman County family law lawyer near you, we hope you will consider Hankey Law Firm. We strongly believe that once you have spoken to attorney Shelbie Hankey, your choice will be clear. We will always fight for you and will be the kind of advocate you need and deserve, working for the best outcome possible. A DIY approach to a family law issue is rarely the best course of action. Don’t wait—contact the Hankey Law Firm today.