Pierce County, Washington, Family Law Attorneys
Family law are undoubtedly some of the most emotionally and financially draining legal matters. This is true especially for the spouses, parents and/or children involved. The law office of Miller, Quinlan & Auter, P.S., Inc., has developed great deal of experience handling a wide range of family law matters. We specialize or focus our practice in domestic relations disputes. Contact the law firm to schedule a consultation and discuss the most practical and expedient way to bring your case to a satisfactory conclusion. Many of our clients' family law cases are resolved through mediation or negotiated settlements. The attorneys at Miller, Quinlan & Auter are committed to assisting our clients in resolving conflicts involving:
- Legal separations
- Uncontested divorce
- Contested divorce
- Military benefits in divorce
- Marital property division
- Complex asset property division
- Child custody and visitation; relocations (move away)
- Child support
- Paternity
- Adoption
- Child support arrearages and judgment enforcement; criminal non-support cases
- Premarital/prenuptial agreements and challenges to such agreements
- Spousal support/maintenance (alimony) — temporary, rehabilitative, ongoing or permanent
- Modifications, terminations of support orders
- Pet custody disputes
Non-Adversarial Alternatives to Divorce and Custody Litigation
In divorce and child custody cases in particular, the adversarial process creates increased tensions between the parties that do not abate even when the process is complete. As a result, many states have begun to explore other, non-adversarial alternatives, such as collaborative law and mandatory mediation, which can save time and money and preserve relationships to the extent possible.
The Collaborative Law Approach
Collaborative law is a way to resolve family law disputes without engaging in traditional adversarial routes, such as trail.. It preserves control and privacy while allowing the parties to reach an agreement regarding assets, child custody arrangements, and other important matters. In collaborative law, an attorney represents each party during the process, but there is a much more open dialogue than in court. Both parties must be committed to keeping the lines of communication open and working together to resolve their disputes. It is important to keep in mind that if the collaborative process fail and the parties decide to go to trial, they must hire different lawyers for the litigation phase of the dispute.
Mediation, Alternative Dispute Resolution Processes: Stay Out of Court
Mediation and other Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes provide an option for those who prefer to stay out of court. ADR provides many potential advantages for most cases, including reduced cost, faster resolution, less emotional stress and the ability to construct solutions that are outside of the authority of the courts.
When Family Law Matters Involve Other Legal Complications
Divorce is a time of many life changes for quite a few people. It is not unusual for divorce clients to need legal help with other issues such as real estate or bankruptcy. Miller, Quinlan & Auter, P.S., Inc., is an ideal choice when there are multiple legal concerns.
Contact us to schedule a consultation regarding paternity testing or any family law matter in Washington State.
