In Alabama, 3.6 out of every 1,000 people go through a divorce. No one wants to be one of the marriages that don’t last, but life goals and feelings change. Your new life is a divorce proceeding away, but it will take time to hash out the details.
As your Cullman County divorce attorney, we know the restless nights heading into a divorce and the mental and emotional toll it takes on a person.
You’re facing one of the most stressful events you can in life.
At Hankey Law Firm, we provide our clients with:
- Attention-to-detail
- Compassion
- Knowledge
- Negotiation skills
We all hope for an uncontested divorce. It speeds up the proceedings and is in your best interest. Our goal is to negotiate on your behalf, helping you come to an agreement with your spouse before issues become unresolvable.
It’s in your best interest to put animosity and anger aside, but when communication breaks down or you can’t agree on serious matters, we can step in and help.
We’re ready to handle the negotiations for you and work on an agreement for the division of assets, child custody, alimony and child support. Together, we can overcome your divorce hurdles.
Call or contact us for assistance with your divorce.
Our Divorce Services in Cullman County
For many years we’ve helped spouses negotiate their divorce, saving them money and avoiding the hassle of going to court. When agreements don’t materialize, we fight for our clients in court, achieving the best possible outcome for their divorce.
We have nearly 20 years of experience working through Alabama’s complex divorce laws and will be happy to represent you during these trying times.
You’ll work with a Cullman County divorce attorney who has experience working through:
- Divorce: Traditional divorces, where the couple may have been together for a few years or decades. We can help you file your divorce petition and then work on your division of assets. If you have children, we’ll work on child custody and support, potential spousal support, and seek any temporary orders you’re entitled to under the law.
- Gray or Senior Divorce: If you’re divorcing after 50, this is sometimes referred to as a “gray divorce.” Your circumstances may be different than a younger divorcee, and chances are, you’ve had time to acquire more assets and fund retirement accounts. We can work through your gray divorce, which may include determining life-changing assets, such as family homes. If one spouse makes significantly more money than the other, you may also request spousal support.
- High Asset/Complex Divorces: High net worth divorces often come with significant issues, such as hidden assets, asset valuations and miscalculations, millions of dollars in assets, multiple homes, vehicles, and potential businesses. We’ll work to uncover assets, value them, and draw up an agreement that’s fair and equitable.
- Division Of Property and Assets: If you agree on all areas of the divorce but property and asset division, we can step in to negotiate on your behalf. We don’t have the same emotional ties with your spouse, allowing us to work in your best interest without animosity or emotions getting in the way.
- Child Support: Parents have a financial obligation to support their children. We can seek child support on your behalf or work with the court to enforce agreements.
- Child Custody: Alabama courts will work to provide equal custody to both parents unless there is an underlying reason that one parent should not have shared custody. We’ll work to secure custody of your child so that you can remain an important figure in their lives.
- Alimony: If one spouse stayed at home to raise kids or makes significantly less income than their partner, we can seek alimony or spousal support. Alabama limits most alimony to up to 5 years, but there are exceptions that we can seek.
See If You Qualify for An Annulment
Do You Have to Have a Reason to Get a Divorce in Alabama?
When filing for divorce, you must tell the court why you want to dissolve your marriage (i.e., grounds for divorce). These grounds may be fault-based or no-fault.
No-fault grounds include:
- An irretrievable breakdown of the marriage
- Voluntary abandonment of the marriage for at least one year before filing
- Incompatibility
Fault-based grounds for divorce include but are not limited to:
- Adultery
- Drug or alcohol addiction
- Domestic violence
- Long-term mental illness that requires confinement in a mental health facility
- Incapacitation at the time of marriage
- Commission of a crime against nature either before or during the marriage
The most common ground for divorce is incompatibility, but in some cases, it will make sense to file a fault-based divorce. The ground for divorce can have an impact on child custody, property division, alimony and other matters.
How Do You Know When It Is Time to File for Divorce?
Knowing when to file for a divorce is a deeply personal matter, and it looks different for everyone. It’s not something that your Cullman County divorce attorney can decide for you. It’s a decision that you have to come to on your own terms.
If you feel like you’ve taken every step to save your marriage and things haven’t changed, it may be time to file for divorce.
Marriages can break down for a variety of reasons. Financial strain and lack of communication are two common reasons for divorce. Couples can also grow apart and find themselves wanting very different things in life.
When the other party has no interest in changing or even acknowledging their partner’s concerns or needs, divorce may become the only viable option.
Often, knowing when to divorce is a gut feeling. Just as you knew it was time to get married, most couples know when it’s time to go their separate ways.
Why Is It Important to Hire a Divorce Attorney Rather Than Navigate Divorce Alone?
Even when a divorce is amicable, it’s still important to work with an experienced and reputable divorce attorney. Navigating divorce alone can lead to unfavorable outcomes, especially if it involves:
- Child custody and support
- Alimony
- Division of assets
These are all very common issues in a divorce, and they are best handled by an attorney who will:
- Advocate for your rights
- Understand how Alabama law affects your divorce
- Guide you through the process
Alabama is an equitable distribution state, which means that assets and debts are distributed in a way that is fair and equitable. However, equitable does not necessarily mean a 50/50 split.
The court has broad discretion when determining equitable division, so it is crucial to have a knowledgeable divorce attorney advocating for your best interests. Unless you can prove a clear error of the law or abuse of judicial discretion, the judge’s decisions are unlikely to be overturned in an appeal.
Hiring a divorce attorney also means that you don’t have to communicate and negotiate with your spouse directly. Your attorney can advocate for you during these difficult moments.
Hiring a Cullman County Divorce Attorney
No one goes into a marriage thinking they will get divorced. When a marriage breaks down, it can be a stressful time for the entire family. An experienced divorce attorney can guide you through the process and ease some of that stress.
Hankey Law Firm has been helping clients navigate divorce for almost two decades. We have experience handling all types of divorces, from gray divorces to high-asset and complex divorces. We take the time to understand our clients and their situations so that we can help them achieve the best outcome.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation and discuss your family law needs.