Family Matters We Handle in Hamilton County, IN
Our family law attorneys have years of experience helping individuals and families move forward with their lives. We are here to represent you in cases involving:
Divorce
One of the most common family matters we handle is divorce. If you are married, and you are your spouse wish to legally end your marriage, you must go through the divorce process. This will most likely be a challenging experience because there are so many emotions wrapped up at the end of an intimate relationship. However, it is not true that all divorces are difficult, contentious, lengthy, and costly. At GDS Law Group, a Noblesville divorce lawyer will try to make this process go as smoothly as possible.
Part of our job is to advise you on the best course of action during a divorce and to seek efficiency whenever possible. To this end, we may be able to represent you in an uncontested divorce. If you and your spouse agree to the divorce and you agree on most of the underlying issues, then you can go through an uncontested divorce in Indiana. During this uncontested process, we will work with your spouse and their attorney to negotiate the details of the division of property, financial and tax matters, child custody, and more.
However, if you and your spouse do not agree on one or more underlying issues, then we are prepared to take your case through the family court system. We know when it is time to compromise, and when it is time to fight for your rights. We will not let your spouse take advantage of you or bully you into accepting an unfair outcome to a divorce. When necessary, we will fight for a fair division of property and a child custody arrangement that is in your child’s best interests.
Child Custody
Often, the most contentious family matter we handle is child custody. Parents, whether or not they have ever been married, can wholeheartedly disagree on what is best for their children. A family lawyer at GDS Law Group is ready to help you pursue the best situation for your children.
To begin, we will represent you in the child custody matter. We can guide you through the mediation process in hopes of negotiating a parenting time schedule with your children’s other parent. If mediation is not or will not be productive, we can take your matter before a family court judge. We understand Indiana’s standard of determining a child custody schedule based on the best interests of the child. There is no presumption that a mother or father is the best person to have primary custody. Instead, the judge will look at a variety of factors to determine whether parents should share custody, or one parent should have full custody of the children.
These factors include:
- A child’s age and gender;
- The wishes of the parents;
- The child’s wishes;
- The child’s relationship with each parent;
- The child’s relationship with siblings;
- The child’s relationship with other significant adults in the household;
- How the child has adjusted to new homes, schools, and communities;
- Every party’s mental and physical health;
- Any evidence of domestic violence;
- Any evidence the child has been cared for by a de facto custodian.
Through these factors and others, the judge will determine how to divide both legal and physical custody among you and your children’s other parent. However, the judge does not make this decision in a vacuum. First, you and your children’s other parent have the right to present evidence regarding why you believe a certain parenting arrangement is best for your children. You may request, or the court can order a guardian ad litem to assess the family and provide a recommendation. The judge will decide on the matter after receiving and reviewing a great deal of information. This is why you should work with a family lawyer in Noblesville, who can help you convince the judge of what is best for your children.
Adoption
There are numerous ways to approach adding to your family through adoption. If you’re considering adding a child – either one you’re related to, or one you don’t yet know – it’s important to reach out to an attorney for help. A Noblesville family lawyer can guide you through the process step by step to ensure no stone goes unturned.
Family Mediation in Hamilton County
If you have a family matter in Hamilton County, whether it is a divorce or child custody issue, you will typically be required to go through mediation in an attempt to resolve the issue yourself. Mediation is intended to help couples and parents work through their problems together. It can facilitate communication and compromise, which can put you and your soon-to-be-ex-spouse or children’s other parent on a better path for the future. If you learn to communicate during mediation, those skills can help you down the road. Mediation also is intended to free up the court’s time and make the divorce or child custody processes more efficient.
Whether you are required to go through mediation, or you request the process, you should have a family mediation lawyer represent you. Mediation is a less formal out-of-court process, but it is no less serious than a court hearing. You need to prepare for the process, and the best way to do that is to work with an attorney who is experienced in mediation. At GDS Law Group our registered domestic relations mediator, attorney Nicholas Dandurand, has an extensive background in mediation and will make sure that you know what to expect.
One of our family mediation lawyers also will help you practice how to communicate your thoughts, needs, and priorities. Talking is not always communicating. You can say a lot in a meeting without getting your point across to the other person. In mediation, you need to do your best to have the other person understand what you truly want out of the divorce or for your child. In many cases, once two people truly start to communicate, they find that their priorities are more aligned than they previously thought.
The next part of the battle is to find a solution that promotes those priorities. When you go through mediation, it is naïve to think you will get everything you want. In most cases, you won’t. Instead, you need to work with your lawyer to find areas where you are willing to compromise, and areas in which you will hold firm. This will guide you in negotiating with your spouse or the other parent.
Let a Noblesville, Indiana Family Law Attorney Help You
When you are headed to court for a family matter, such as filing for divorce, a child custody dispute, or for a protection order, you may think you can handle the case yourself. You might think the cost of a lawyer is not worth it. You may think you can rely on advice from friends and family members, or find the information you need online. Unfortunately, any information and advice you receive from someone who is not an experienced local family law attorney may be wrong and incredibly costly. It may guide you down the wrong path, which can have devastating consequences during a divorce or child custody battle.
When you need to address a serious family matter, it is better to do it with a veteran family lawyer by your side. We offer accurate and practical legal information and candid advice for spouses and parents going through the family court system. We take a holistic approach to every case, and are aggressive in pursuing the best possible outcome for you and your family. Because of our approach, GDS Law Group has a track record of success for our family matter clients.
If you are going through a family matter in Hamilton County, Indiana, do not hesitate to call us. You can schedule a free family law consultation through our online form or by calling 317-550-5339.
