Family Law
Separation and divorce can be straight forward if the couple involved communicate well, agree on how to proceed, and prioritize the needs of their children. However, separation and divorce can also become very complex very quickly, particularly if there has been a history of litigation, or of abusive or controlling behaviors. At Willliam James Legal Services, we encourage partners and/or parents who are in the midst of separation and/or divorce to take the initiative for responsibly participating in the process in a collaborative and child-focused way. We draft family law contracts including separation agreements, provide independent legal advice, provide limited-scope advice and direction to self-represented litigants, and take on a limited number of litigation files.
We also provide mediation services. Mediation is a voluntary conflict resolution process where a mediator facilitates discussion and the sharing of information to parties in conflict in order to help them resolve their issues. These issues can include property division, parenting schedules, child support, spousal support, and the divorce process. Seeking resolution of family matters through the court process in litigation is time consuming, expensive, promotes adversarial behavior, and surrenders the ultimate decisions about your relationship, children, and property to a Judge. By contrast, mediation allows the parties to remain the decision makers for their own families, encourages collaboration and creativity, and is typically more cost-effective and less time-consuming.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Family Law
