Best Bakersfield Family Law Attorneys Giving Free Consultations

All You Need to Know About Family Law in Bakersfield

Family law is a wide ranging area of legal practice that covers many aspects of the family unit and the relations between them. Although the family law concept is a universal doctrine, family law in Bakersfield is governed by California state law. Such subjects as divorce, child custody, custody rights, child support, spousal support and property settlements are at the core of family law. All family law matters are presided over by the California Superior Court.
Divorce is a common issue covered by Bakersfield family law. Divorce may involve many aspects of the family unit, including child support, custody of the children and distribution of property. A legal separation may also become necessary. Often if a couple is spinning out of control or is having issues, the Superior Court may mandate couples counseling and marital counseling, both of which may be prescribed and overseen by the Court.
An additional issue that may arise in Bakersfield family law is guardianship. If the parents of minor children die or become incapacitated due to an accident or trauma, a guardian may be appointed to assume the authority and responsibility of the parents as well as managing the ward’s estate. This also subsumes the care , custody and upbringing of the child or children by the appointed guardian(s). The rights and authority of the guardian relates specifically to the authority and responsibility of the parents.
Pre-marital Agreements (Antepacts) may also become necessary for a married couple prior to divorce. These documents protect property interests of the married parties and may include provisions regarding property and spousal support in the event of divorce or annulment. Complete disclosure of income and assets must be made prior to the execution of a pre-marital agreement. Pre-marital agreements must be in writing as well as signed and acknowledged.
Alimony and Spousal Support are specific to a marriage and a particular divorce case. Alimony deals with the support of the spouse and attorney fees. On the other hand, child support deals specifically with the care, custody, control and maintenance of the children of a married couple. The law generally recognizes alimony as permanent, indefinite and for a reasonable period of time only. Alimony may be awarded by the Court due to mal-adroitness from a spouse, the neglect of a minor child by a spouse or parent as well as criminal acts by a spouse.
Another component of Bakersfield family law is Guardianship. In a Guardianship, the Guardian (s) is granted authority by the Court to have custody of the children and their estate. The Guardian is responsible for all of the care, custody, control and education of the minor children as well as the management of the estate of the children.

Benefits of a Complimentary Consultation

During a free consultation, an attorney may evaluate your needs and explain how they can be met. After meeting with an attorney during an initial consultation, a person may better understand their legal issues and what types of steps they may need to take in order to address their legal problems. Meeting with an attorney during a free meeting could also help someone in determining whether or not they are up against costs that they can afford. For example, someone may think that their divorce may only cost a few hundred dollars, but after consulting with an attorney they learn that their court filing fees alone amounts to a thousand dollars. At this time, signing up for legal representation may seem like a more appealing option, especially if the attorney you consult with offers payment plans or other types of flexible financing options. Through a free consultation a lawyer can help a person accomplish instant and long-term goals related to their case.

How to Find the Best Family Law Attorney

When honing in on the right family law attorney in Bakersfield, CA to meet your needs, consider the following criteria:
Experience: It is essential that you select a family law attorney with a wealth of experience in family law practice, particularly in the area of your case. A divorce case, for example, is different than a child custody case, so finding a lawyer with specific experience in either of these areas is crucial.
Reputation: In many cases, experienced attorneys have established quite the reputation over the years. By looking at your attorney’s reputation, you will be able to learn more about his or her history in terms of practice, experience, outlook and opinions, ethics, and how he or she is perceived among the community. Selecting a lawyer by word-of-mouth can be quite effective, even though it does not always guarantee equally-effective results.
Client Reviews: The ultimate insight into an attorney’s worth is the opinions of past clients. In addition to their opinions with respect to the above mentioned criteria, clients will likely have specific opinions as to the level of service they received from their attorney, and whether or not they would provide a strong recommendation or should probably look elsewhere.

What to Ask for a Free Consultation Appointment

When you have questions about your legal options, you need to find the best attorney for your specific situation. This is often your chance to ask all of the important questions you have, and it’s important to understand how to judge your qualifications as well as the attorney’s ability to represent you. To make this process easier, consider the following questions you should ask during your initial consultation on any legal matter:
What fees are associated with your services? The most important factor for many people is often money. It’s important to get an idea of how much your family law attorney will cost and how payment will work. Consultations are often free, but how much of an initial retainer do they require to begin working on the case?
Have you worked on cases like this before? For an attorney to be right for you, they need to have an established reputation as an expert in cases similar to yours.
If so , what is your success rate with these cases? Winning or losing are sometimes out of the hands of an attorney, but they should be able to give you at least a ballpark estimate of how successful they’ve been in the past with similar cases.
Will I be working directly with you on my case? Sometimes firms will assign cases to different attorneys based on their current workload. Make sure to clarify if you will be able to work with that attorney directly so you won’t be stuck with someone else who might be less qualified.
How often are you available by phone or email? You should be able to communicate with your attorney shortly after you need to without worrying how long you’ll have to wait for a response.
Will my consultations be handled with sensitive information? Privilege rules may allow you to speak with an attorney before sharing all of the details of your case, but it’s still good to know whether you’ll be protected when speaking freely with the attorney during the initial consultation.

How a Family Law Attorney Can Assist You

A family law attorney can help you with a wide range of issues, and they offer services that go beyond negotiating spousal support, child support, or alimony. With the help of a family law attorney, you can protect yourself and your assets, the assets of your children, and your home. Armed with experience handling cases like yours, a family law attorney can even provide you with valuable information and advice in order to guide you in the right direction.
It’s common for married couples who decide to divorce to argue about who will move out of the house. Once they do move out, it’s possible they’ll contest who gets to keep the home, and who will pay the mortgage. A family law attorney can help you negotiate a solution that works for you, or mediate if necessary.
A family law attorney can also help you negotiate spousal support, which is typically called alimony, or child support. These amounts are usually based on determining who earns what and the living expenses of each party. A family law attorney can also help negotiate repayment of student loan debt, and how to divide family businesses, real estate, and retirement accounts. In many cases, a judge needs to approve these negotiation agreements before they can be finalized. Your attorney can represent you in court, or help you negotiate with your ex-spouse, even in contentious situations.
Finally, your family law attorney can provide you with a skilled evaluation of the possibility of a domestic violence protective order. If domestic violence leads to spousal death, medical bills, physical disability, or emotional trauma, your family law attorney can help you seek justice.

Dealing with Attorney Fees and Payment Methods

Legal fees can be a source of concern for many people seeking legal representation in family law cases. Some of the most common fee structures are based on hourly rates and retainer fees.
Hourly Rates
Hourly rates are where the attorney charges the client for actual time spent on the case. The rate can range from $200 to $500 per hour or more, depending on the complexity of the case and the attorney’s location and experience. And this time can include consultations, meetings with other professionals on the case, time devoted to research, and other case related matters.
Retainer Fees
Retainer fees are a common form of prepayment for your attorney’s services in a case . The retainer is often a monthly or bi-monthly flat fee. And while you do not pay for the full retainer amount up front, an initial fee is often required that is held in trust in your case to be drawn upon for services rendered on your case. Note that the remainder of the retainer is not necessarily immediately available to the client for withdrawal from the account, it is reserved by the attorney to cover costs and fees incurred by that attorney on the client’s behalf.
You may find that some California family law attorneys offer payment plans to help clients afford their services. If a flat fee or retainer is simply too much to pay up front, you can inquire about a payment plan with an attorney.