Family Law in Valparaiso, Indiana: How Our Legal Team Can Help You

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 extensive experience helping Indiana residents navigate a range of 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 come up with personalized solutions that keep them in control of key 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 at 219-575-8565 to schedule your initial consultation.

Call Now : 219-575-8565

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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 matters on their own. Indiana has unique codes and statutes surrounding custody, paternity, adoption, divorce, and related issues. To navigate these issues confidently, you must have an in-depth understanding of the law.

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 best interests of the children 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

In this case, the couple may need the court to intervene and make decisions about the above matters for them.

If you and your spouse are going through a contested divorce, having a legal professional on your side is important. Your lawyer can help you fight for your case and ensure that the judge makes an informed, fair decision.

Child Custody

Child custody is a matter that arises when a child’s parents divorce or live separately. Some families choose to use verbal parenting time arrangements in which they reach a mutual agreement without legal intervention. However, we highly recommend getting your child custody agreement in writing to ensure 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 in front of 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.
If your paternity is questioned or contested, you may need to present a DNA test. Our team can help you navigate paternity matters and protect your rights as the child’s father.

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.

Issues of financial support can get messy quickly, but our legal team is here to help.

 

Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements

Pre- and post-nuptial 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 and ensure that it contains legally binding language.

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 or an incapacitated person or 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.

Our attorney team can help you understand the legal process of adoption, guide you through complicated paperwork, ensure that you meet all of the requirements, and answer any questions you may have.

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 has extensive experience as mediators in Indiana. We can act as the third party in your dispute or provide legal counsel to ensure that 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 extensive 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 at 219-575-8565 to schedule your case evaluation.

Call Now : 219-575-8565

FREQUENTLY ASKED EXPUNGEMENT QUESTIONS

 
In most cases, each party will be responsible for their own legal fees. Sometimes, one party may request that the other party pays all of the court costs and legal fees. Your attorney can help you break down court costs and estimate your legal fees. 
Typically, in child custody cases, each party pays their own legal fees. Parties in a child custody case usually retain their own legal counsel. As such, you would only be responsible for your own attorney’s fees. In some cases, the court may require the other party to pay your legal fees as well. Your attorney can help you request for the other party to pay your fees, if warranted.
Child custody cases can take anywhere from a few months to two years from beginning to end. The length of your case depends on the complexity of the case, the speed at which both parties submit the necessary documentation, and the court’s caseload. 

No, once paternity is established a parent cannot prevent a child’s other parent from seeing them without a court order unless they believe the child is in immediate danger. Your attorney can help you obtain a temporary court order if you think the child’s other parent is dangerous.