Northwest Indiana Family Law Attorneys

Your family is important to you, and you probably want to do everything you can to keep the peace. But when issues with child custody, parenting time, divorce, paternity, adoptions, guardianship, foster care, children in need of services (CHINS), and other family matters arise, you may be unsure of the best ways to prioritize your family’s best interests.

At Worthley Law, our attorneys have the skills and experience to help Indiana residents navigate various family law cases.

Beginning with a detailed initial consultation, we will get to know you and understand all your most important concerns. When it comes to our family law cases, we collaborate with our clients to develop personalized solutions that keep them in control of critical decisions and try to keep legal costs manageable. We are also experienced trial attorneys capable of aggressively protecting you and your family’s best interests in court when the time calls for it.

Contact our legal team today to schedule your initial consultation.

What is Family Law?

Family law is a branch of law that involves family matters such as marriage, custody, and financial support. Many families feel overwhelmed trying to navigate legal issues on their own. Indiana has unique codes and statutes surrounding custody, paternity, adoption, divorce, and related issues. To navigate these issues confidently, you must understand the law in-depth.

Hiring a family law attorney can be highly beneficial as you and your family attempt to work through legal issues. Our attorneys strive to help Valparaiso residents understand their rights within a marriage or custody agreement and keep the children’s best interests at the center.

Divorce

Divorcing couples often experience disputes and disagreements that lead them to seek the assistance of family law attorneys. When divorcing couples disagree on any of the following, their divorce is considered contested:

• The division of property and assets
• Child custody agreements
• Child support
• Parenting Time
• Spousal support

Child Custody

Child custody is a matter that arises when a child’s parents divorce or live separately. Some families use verbal parenting time arrangements to reach a mutual agreement without legal intervention. However, we highly recommend getting your child custody agreement in writing, which can increase the likelihood that it holds up to legal scrutiny if necessary.

If you and the child’s other parent agree on a child custody arrangement, our law team can help you draft official documentation to turn into the court. If you cannot reach an agreement independently, we can use mediation or arbitration to help you find an arrangement that prioritizes your child’s best interests.

Finally, if you cannot reach an agreement out of court, our lawyers can represent you before a judge and fight for your right to full or majority custody.

Paternity

Paternity is an important matter involved in establishing parental rights and child custody. In Indiana, the court will assume your paternity, unless otherwise proven false with a DNA test, if any of the following are true:

• You were married to the child’s mother at the time of the child’s birth.
• You and the child’s mother have executed a paternity affidavit with your local health
  department.

Child & Spousal Support

When parents share physical custody, one parent often owes the other child support. Additionally, when a married couple divorces and one party has a disability, they may request temporary spousal support.

Financial support issues can get messy quickly, but our legal team is here to help.

Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements

Pre- and postnuptial agreements can provide clarity and protection for married couples. Our attorneys for family law in Valparaiso, Indiana, can help you draft a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement containing legally binding language to help protect your financial future.

Guardianship

Guardianship is a legal relationship that allows a person to manage another person’s finances, healthcare, or other important matters. If you’re seeking guardianship of a minor, an incapacitated person, or someone with mental disabilities, our team can help you navigate the legal process.

Adoption

Adoption is often a lengthy, complicated, high-stress process. Whether you’re seeking to adopt through a private agency or want legal custody of a child you already have a relationship with, having a lawyer on your side can be highly beneficial.

Mediation

Mediation is an effective means of settling disputes outside of court. In mediation, you and the other party would meet with a neutral third party to discuss the matter. You would have the opportunity to present your case in a low-stress setting, and your mediator could help you negotiate a solution.

Our team of experienced mediators can act as the third party in your dispute or provide legal counsel to help ensure your voice is heard during the meeting.

Contact our Family Law Team Today

When your family’s peace and well-being are on the line, you need a dedicated legal team with compassion, experience, in-depth knowledge of Indiana’s codes and statutes, and a commitment to helping your case. Our team at Worthley Legal checks all these boxes and more. Contact us today to schedule your case evaluation.