Family Lawyer
Dependable Family Lawyer Serving Niagara and St. Catharines
If you are getting a divorce or a separation and are looking for a family lawyer in Niagara and St Catharines, get in touch with J. Leigh Daboll Law Office! You should never have to face the grave and legally complicated matters of visitation access and other serious decision-making responsibilities without solid representation. We can help you handle all issues related to family law. From matters relating to property division or parenting responsibilities, our experienced family lawyers in Niagara can ensure that all your disputes are settled with as little acrimony as possible. However, if going to court is inevitable, you can rest easy knowing that J. Leigh Daboll and his team will build a strong case for you and pursue resolutions that are in your best interest. Book your consultation with us now!
Settle Your Property Division
A range of seemingly straightforward to convoluted issues can arise during property division settlements. Particularly if one of the parties wishes to keep the matrimonial home for various reasons but cannot afford to, you may be faced with challenges about whether to sell the property. The handling of debt can also be a source of contention, especially when financial struggles are a part of the equation.
Discussions about dividing retirement savings plans can sometimes become unnecessarily lengthy, revolving around the amount of notional tax that should be applied. Property division also includes the estates and other residential properties that you might possess. Additional difficulty can arise if one of the parties fails to declare certain significant financial and business assets, corporate holdings or even offshore trusts. We also provide help with estate planning, drafting living trusts and finding ways to avoid estate taxes so that your property remains safe with you and your dear ones.
Our lawyers are well-versed in all the rights of parties when it comes to a division of assets and debts. We can advise when it is that you are obliged to provide financial statements and further updates. We have guided clients to achieve reasonable goals in a cost-effective way. We understand our clients and will do our very best to help them get their affairs in the right order.
Spousal Support in Niagara and St. Catharines
Negotiating spousal support or common-law partner support can be a delicate issue, especially when there are considerable differences in income between two parties who have been married for a long time. Complexities regarding the entitlement to alimony and the amount and duration of support are not uncommon, particularly where there are children involved as well. There may be variations in the spousal support arrangement due to disability or illness affecting one of the spouses, remarriage or retirement. In either of the cases, the final motion is passed only after both sides consent to the arrangements. Our experienced lawyers will be by your side with trustworthy and reliable suggestions and guidance to make changes to an existing legal agreement and give you the advantage you need. The lawyers will ensure that you get the best possible solution for your legal family troubles.
Child Custody and Support
Child custody refers to the right to make important decisions about how to care for and raise your child or children rather than about which parent the child lives with or how much time a child spends with each parent. Custody can be joint, shared, sole or any combination of these. A child's father and mother have equal rights to the custody of the child in normal circumstances. Our family lawyers can help you settle these matters in a stress-free manner and reach an agreement that ensures the best interest of your child or children is looked out for.
Child support guidelines are put in place to establish a base amount to be paid by either or both parents for the children, along with the potential sharing of extraordinary expenses. However, the time-sharing arrangement between the parents may impact the amount of support paid. Many factors affect the child support amount that a judge may order, such as special expenses for daycare or illness and disability. Issues of support can also arise for post-maturity children above 18, who often continue to qualify as financial dependents if they are pursuing post-secondary education and thus are unable to support themselves. It is critical to understand your rights and obligations as a parent in such cases so that your children are looked after and least affected in this regard during this stressful time.
Decision-making Responsibilities and Access
Parenting time and access decisions are critical for your children and can have lasting effects on their future. These issues are often the centre of family disputes, particularly where parents have differing objectives or parenting styles. Our family lawyers can help you in this process and guide you in your assessment to arrive at a decision that is in the children's best interests. Matters relating to the access or the time your child spends with each parent will also have to be settled at this time. The entitlement to access to a child includes the right to visit with and be visited by the child as well as the right of the parent to make inquiries and be given information about the health, education and welfare of the child. We can help you with parenting time, how time with the children is divided, the mobility of your children, name changes, and educational pursuits, among other issues.
Pension Division
Pension is an asset that is to be equalized when a marriage dissolves. Upon request from either spouse, our family lawyer and legal team can help prepare a valuation of the pension benefits in accordance with formulas set out in laws and regulations. We can help settle any disputes that may arise in this respect so that you and your partner can reach an agreement that works for both parties.
Matrimonial Home
A matrimonial home is any property where both spouses reside at the time of separation, irrespective of which one of the spouses owns it. Both parties have an equal right to possession of the property in normal circumstances. When only one of the spouses has an interest in the matrimonial home, the other spouse’s right of possession ends when they cease to be spouses unless otherwise stipulated in a separation agreement or court order. We will be by your side with all the assistance you need to take care of this matter calmly and will do our very best to achieve the best possible outcome for you.
Legal Agreements, Including Pre-nuptial Agreements, Marriage Contracts and Separation Agreements
If you are starting to cohabitate or your relationship is ending, we can assist you in drafting the agreement you need to best preserve your legal rights. While no one wants to need a legal agreement with their partner, many people today wish to enter or exit their relationships with clarified terms that address their specific needs. We also have divorce lawyers on our team who can provide their expert counselling in case you need it.
Families in Niagara and St. Catharines rely on the family lawyers at J. Leigh Daboll Law Office, to help them navigate the legal complexities of family law. Whether you need to establish primary residence for your child or determine child or spousal support details, you can count on the extensive knowledge at our law firm.
