Woodside Family Law Attorney

Woodside Family Law Lawyer

Family law covers a variety of services that help you resolve conflicts and make decisions about your personal life and family relationships. Often, family law matters are emotionally challenging to resolve and contain legal complexity. Navigating a family law case can be difficult, but a Woodside family law attorney can help you navigate this process and find an outcome that allows you to move forward after conflict.

With almost 30 years of professional experience assisting clients through a variety of family law cases, the Law Offices of Rod Firoozye are prepared to guide you through your case with compassionate and strategic advice. If you are facing a significant life transition, our skilled attorneys are passionate about helping you protect what matters most.

Understanding Family Law

With over 300,000 family law filings each year in California, family law is used to help thousands of families resolve disputes from divorce to child custody. Most Woodside residents can find help through the Superior Court of San Mateo County, where you can file claims and petitions, undergo court hearings, and fight to protect your rights or your family alongside a Woodside family law attorney.

Types of Family Law Cases We Handle

At the Law Offices of Rod Firoozye, our attorneys can handle a variety of family law matters, including legally complex or emotionally charged battles. Some common types of family law cases include:

• Divorce. Divorce accounts for approximately one-third of all family law filings in California. Filing for divorce can be complex, requiring decisions on how to divide financial assets and debts, child custody, property, and other responsibilities. A lawyer’s guidance can ensure that your divorce protects your personal and financial interests and puts you in a position to build a secure future post-divorce.
• Child custody. Determining the legal and physical custody of a child is no small task. A lawyer can help you and the other parent develop a parenting plan that balances the parents’ rights and protects the best interests of a child. In court, a lawyer can protect you and your child’s rights to a safe and supportive custody arrangement.
• Child support or spousal support. If you are paying support to provide for your children or for a former spouse, a lawyer can ensure a fair support system that does not cause you undue hardship. A lawyer can also help you if you are not receiving the required support or are looking to modify current support plans.
• Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Protecting your assets before or during marriage can be a good idea, even if you are not expecting to file for divorce. A lawyer can help you protect things such as property, real estate, investments, or retirement funds early, preventing costly mistakes in the future.
• Adoption and guardianship. Choosing adoption or guardianship of a child is a life-changing event. A lawyer can help bring a smooth transition and establish legal parent-child relationships to help you build a strong family.
• Domestic violence and protective orders. Needing to protect yourself and your family is a frightening reality for many people. A lawyer can ensure safety by helping you file restraining orders or file a claim for domestic abuse or harassment.

Hire a Woodside Family Law Attorney

Without an attorney, you must advocate for yourself in court. This can be difficult without knowledge of California laws and a deep understanding of what is required to build a strong argument. A lawyer can develop a unique legal strategy for your case, presenting evidence in a way that supports their claim and aligning an argument with family laws. A lawyer can prevent you from unintentionally worsening your case or making mistakes when speaking in court.

FAQs

What Should You Not Say to a Family Court Judge?

When communicating with a family court judge, avoid lying, expressing anger or frustration, exaggerating, badmouthing the other parent, disrespecting the judge, or otherwise illustrating a lack of composure and credibility. Remaining calm and fact-based can lead to a better case outcome. Having a lawyer present to communicate on your behalf can make sure that you put forward factual and respectful input during a hearing.

What Does the Best Interests of the Child Mean in Family Law Cases?

The best interest of the child is the legal standard for custody and childcare-related decisions. To be in a child’s best interest, a plan must focus on the child’s safety, stability, and well-being. A plan made by the parents can be reviewed by the court to ensure that this standard is met. If the parents are unable to agree, the judge will decide based on what they determine to be in the child’s best interest.

Do You Still Need to Pay Child Support if the Other Parent Won’t Let You Visit Your Kids?

Even if you are not allowed to visit your children, you are required to pay child support. California law requires both parents to provide for their children, so even if you do not have custody or visitation rights, you must provide for the child through child support. If the other parent is refusing to comply with a visitation order, you can hire a family law attorney to address this issue, but you must pay child support.

How Do You Initiate a Divorce From Your Spouse?

To file for divorce, you must file a petition with the court, then serve the divorce papers on your spouse. Your spouse has 30 days to file a response. Otherwise, the divorce process will proceed automatically. If you have questions about filing for divorce, you should hire a family law attorney who can answer your questions, provide you with the proper forms, and enforce the legal requirements for your petition for divorce.

Woodside Family Law Attorney

Family law matters can be stressful, often prompted by significant changes in your life. Having an experienced family law attorney by your side can limit your anxiety about the future and build confidence in your case. Contact the Law Offices of Rod Firoozye today to learn how experienced legal representation can protect your rights, financial assets, and family members during a family law matter.