When it comes to family law, there are a number of different issues that can be covered. Family law attorneys can handle adoption cases as well as emancipation cases. Some do not know that most family law practices also handle divorces. This is in part due to the remarkable lack of information most people have on how divorce really works. Despite the prevalence of divorce in America, many remain ashamed about it — they refuse to discuss the realities of divorce. Therefore, when they need divorces, they don’t know what to do. They don’t realize that when it comes to family law child custody is one of the most important factors divorce lawyers deal with. Nor do they understand that the divorce process is, legally speaking, a complicated one that cannot be handled without the help of attorneys. Attorneys make it possible for divorce cases to avoid the court systems, even when child custody is involved. It’s much easier for people to handle divorce cases with an attorney mediating, and not just on a legal level. Family law child custody lawyers in particular know how to deal with the delicate personal nature of divorce and custody cases. With that being said, let’s look in the real facts of divorce as a legal matter — rather than a taboo subject.
Divorce Is More Common Than You’d Think
We still believe, as a society, that divorce is less common than it actually is — which is what encourages us to be quiet about it. Yet in America, one divorce occurs every 36 seconds. This adds up to 2,400 divorces per day, 16,800 divorces per week, and 876,000 divorces per year. These divorces don’t necessarily happen after prolonged marriages either — in fact, the average length of marriage for a divorcing couple is nine years. If they do choose to remarry, people who get divorced tend to do so after a period of three to four years. According to researchers, a total of 40% to 50% of American marriages end in divorce, and 60% of second marriages end in divorce. People, therefore, shouldn’t be afraid of divorce — and they shouldn’t trap themselves in marriages that aren’t working to “keep face”. Divorce is something that happens; it isn’t the end of the world. And often, entire families are much better off following a divorce than they were prior to divorce. Unhappy marriages, after all, don’t make for happy children.
Child Custody Is Perhaps The Biggest Issue In Divorce
Although there are plenty of nasty divorces among couples without children, one of the biggest reasons why divorces become drawn out and unmanageable is the possibility of a custody battle. This could be because the divorcing parents can’t come to an agreement about how to share time with their children. It could also be because of the issue of child support. Child support and child custody tend to go hand in hand. Unfortunately, much of the time child support goes unpaid. It’s estimated that of the money owed in child support, 62.3% — or $3,770 — was actually paid. In other words, the average amount of money received by custodial parents owed child support is $311 per month. In the year 2011 alone, $37.9 billion was owed. The average amount owed per case was $6,050 for the year — that is, $500 per month. Family law child custody attorneys can help parents come to suitable agreements about both child support and custody. This is why family law child custody lawyers need to be contacted early — the sooner an agreement is made, the more amicable the divorce will be.
Lawyers Actually Save You Money
Contrary to popular belief, using a divorce attorney saves you money. This is because if an attorney goes unused, a divorce case can easily end up in court. This is the last thing you want, as court fees can make divorces even more expensive. Stick with a good lawyer; they will keep the case as quick and simple as possible.