Family Law
An experienced family law practice.
Adrienne assists clients with all aspects of family law. Parties may choose to negotiate a separation agreement, attend mediation to agree on settlement terms, or be involved in a court proceeding to resolve their issues. Adrienne has the experience to help with each of these.
Family Law Services
Each party retains their own lawyer and works towards a negotiated settlement by way of a separation agreement.
Mediation is a private process during which an impartial mediator helps both sides reach a settlement.
Litigation (court proceeding) is an adversarial process, meaning the parties do not work together to resolve their issues.
Negotiation
Each party retains their own lawyer and works towards a negotiated settlement by way of a separation agreement.
Some parties are able to come up with some of their own settlement terms and then give them to their lawyers to be refined and made into a legally binding separation agreement.
Where parties have some areas of disagreement, the parties and their lawyers may meet together (either in person or virtually on Zoom) to finalize settlement terms. This is called a “four-way meeting.”
Mediation
Mediation is a private process during which a mediator helps both sides reach a settlement. The settlement terms are then made into a legally binding separation agreement.
Mediation may be attended with or without lawyers. If people attend without lawyers, they should consult a lawyer afterwards—to receive legal advice on the terms of the agreement and have them draft a separation agreement.
Parties who are involved in a court proceeding can still choose to go to mediation. If they reach agreement, that agreement can be made into a final order.
Read more on our Mediation page.
Litigation (court proceeding)
Litigation is an adversarial process, meaning the parties do not work together to resolve their issues. Court proceedings are public, as are the documents that are filed in court proceedings. Litigation is not voluntary — if one party starts a court proceeding, the other side must respond. If one party refuses to respond or participate, the court can go ahead and make final orders without that party’s involvement.
The party who starts a court proceeding is called the “Applicant,” and the party who responds is known as the “Respondent.” Each party can make claims in the proceeding. The parties must attend a series of conferences (meetings with a judge) in a family court proceeding. If they are unable to settle their issues, they must attend a trial where the trial judge will decide parenting, support, and property issues.
Sometimes litigation is the only option. For example, if one party is refusing to participate or to produce their financial information, or if there is an urgent issue that must be dealt with immediately, courts are able to make orders to ensure these issues are dealt with.
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