Sydney family law is an area of legal practice that is concerned about issues that involve family relationships. Issues in marriage, adoption, divorce, paternity, child custody, and other family-related cases. There are lawyers that specialise in this field.
There is a general perception that Sydney family lawyers only represent their clients in matters relating to divorce. It is more than that as this area of law goes beyond just divorce. It is a broad area of practice as it also covers foster care issues and even reproductive rights.
Thus, if you’re filing for divorce or need a paternity test, it is best to have a trusted attorney by your side as you go through the process. Let’s look at the areas that Sydney family law covers.
Cases Involving Sydney family law
All matters that involve protection of the rights of a member of one’s immediate family falls under this category. Some of them include;
- Divorce as Regards Sydney family law: During divorce proceedings, each partner is expected to hire his or her own attorney. The job of the attorney is simply to arrive at a settlement with the other party to avoid a full blown trials. Attorneys in this area are very good in marital property division and other related services. Services like the calculation of adequate support for spouse, as well as coming up with and presenting a plan for the custody of the child(ren), visiting times, and other forms of support.
- Child Support and Child Custody: It is true that this is usually a part of the larger divorce case, sometimes there is usually a need to revisit it if conditions are changed. A good example is altering the child support as a result of changes in financial status. Additionally, any alteration to the original agreements or orders will mean revisiting the case.
- Paternity as regards Sydney family law: Paternity tests could arise from two different situations. The higher percentage are filed by mothers in a bid to get child support from a father that is absent. The second situation is when it is filed by fathers in order to get a relationship with their child. Paternity test is done through DNA test. Additionally, it could be filed when a partner wants to be sure if the child is his or not.
- Adoption and Foster Care: Adoption sounds simple, but it takes a lot of legal processes. The process differs from one type of adoption to another. Other factors also have a say like, the laws of the state, where the child is from and more. Because of the complex process, it is necessary to get an attorney who is well versed in Sydney family law to assist in the whole process.
Sydney family law can also work alongside other legal practice areas especially during the trials. Domestic violence and child abuse are well within this branch of law but they involve criminal investigations as well. In such cases, the attorneys work towards protecting the victims and ensuring a safe environment for all that are part of the case. This is a vital area of law and proper knowledge and expertise is needed.