The decision to end your marriage is one that is never made lightly. It typically is fraught with emotion as you wonder how you will rebuild your life after your divorce is final.
While you cannot plan for every detail of what will happen in your life as a newly single person, you can finalize many details in family court. An experienced divorce attorney can offer you numerous benefits that make the transition from being married to single easier.
Reclaiming Your Maiden Name
One of the main benefits that a divorce attorney can offer you to involves getting your married name restored to you. When you got married, you took your husband’s last name. The filing of your marriage certificate acted as a legal deed to change your maiden name to your married last name in court. It likewise takes a legal act to restore your maiden name after your divorce. Your attorney can file a change of last name request on your behalf. When the judge issues your divorce decree, your last name will be changed to your maiden name as it was before you were married.
Settling Child Custody Issues
Another major issue that needs to be settled in court involves deciding what spouse gets custody of your minor children. If the children are younger than the age of 14, the judge assigned to your case will decide the question of custody. If the children are 14 or older, they generally get to decide with what parent they will live.
Your attorney can request that the judge decides in your favor for custody. He or she can also ask the court to award you sufficient monthly child support payments. You can find out more about hiring a divorce attorney online. Contact the Law Offices of Sandra Guzman-Salvado.
