Family Law

FAMILY LAW AND DIVORCE LAWYERS WHO CARE

Marital and family law matters should require extra care and consideration because of the emotional aspects involved in dissolving marriages, child custody, and property division. When you are involved in a divorce, emotions and feelings can be deeply intertwined in every aspect of the case, and we understand what you’re dealing with. At McCullough and Associates, P.A., you will be supported by a team of lawyers devoted to helping people just like you with legal issues related to family law. Our Saint Paul attorneys will work with you to give you the information and options you need during this challenging time.

Our attorneys practice in the area of family law and offer a variety of services to assist families through trying times. Our lawyers are knowledgeable and experienced in representing clients in divorce, custody, child support, spousal maintenance, and property division proceedings. Our attorneys also assist with inter-family disputes and offer a wide range of services from advising clients on how to work through a conflict to representing clients through a divorce/dissolution. Our attorneys work hard to obtain the best results for each of our clients.

Our Family Law attorneys acknowledge that divorce, child custody, and other family disputes can be emotionally trying to families. With a focus in the area of Family Law, our lawyers understand that extra care must be given when emotions run high. Going through a divorce can be one of the most emotionally devastating and stressful times you and your family can experience. We believe it is important in our practice to be supportive of our clients while they are experiencing transition in their families.

Our Saint Paul lawyers are ready to offer our clients the support and attention they need. We can offer you the knowledgeable and experienced legal advice and representation that you deserve. We have the experience to deal with the many issues that may arise during the marriage dissolution process. We will assist with inter-family disputes and can offer a wide range of services from advising our clients on how to best work through conflicts to representing them through the divorce process. Our attorneys work hard to obtain the best results possible for our clients.

Divorce can be difficult. We are available to help you benefit from our years of knowledge and experience. If you are looking for representation, our attorneys are devoted to helping people like you with family law issues. At McCullough & Associates, P.A., our attorneys represent clients in divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, paternity, third party child custody, interstate and international child custody, and support matters. Our lawyers will work with you through your options during this difficult time.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I HIRE AN ATTORNEY AT YOUR OFFICE?

In most cases, that attorney becomes your attorney of record, and is able to file and serve legal documents on your behalf, and to receive documents on your behalf. The specific steps taken by the attorneys at McCullough & Associates, P.A. vary based upon the facts and circumstances of the case, and will be determined in consultation with the client.

WHAT’S THE FIRST THING WE DO IN A DIVORCE PROCEEDING?

If McCullough Associates, P.A. initiates the divorce on your behalf, we will draft the divorce petition and arrange to serve it on the other party. Serving the other party with the divorce petition does not need to involve a third party delivering the papers to the other party if the other party is willing to acknowledge receipt of the papers by signing an “Admission of Service.”

On the other hand, if a McCullough & Associates, P.A. attorney responds to the other party’s divorce petition, we will analyze the allegations that have been made and assist you in exercising your legal right to provide for your best interests and the best interests of your family.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COMPLETE A DIVORCE?

If all issues are undisputed, a McCullough & Associates, P.A., divorce and family law attorney can complete the divorce in as little as a few weeks. If there are disputes that need to be mediated in court, the divorce can take months. On average, a divorce that requires a court trial takes twelve to eighteen months, or longer. Your divorce may take a longer time, or a shorter time, depending on the specific circumstances of your case.

DOES IT MATTER WHETHER I INITIATE THE DIVORCE OR MY SPOUSE DOES?

The parties are entitled to the same results in court, and are subjected to the same obligations to receive those results, whether they are the party initiating the divorce (Petitioner) or responding in the divorce proceeding (Respondent). It may, however, be an important consideration relating to who initiates the divorce as it pertains to the “venue,” or county, in which the divorce is commenced.

WHAT ARE CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES IN MINNESOTA?

Previously, the parent with physical custody (obligee) received child support from the other parent (obligor) based upon guidelines set forth in Minnesota law that considered the obligor’s income only. The court could set child support in accord with the guidelines, or exercise discretion to deviate upwards or downwards from the guidelines. The Minnesota legislature passed a law effective January 1, 2007 for cases filed after that date which now takes both parents’ incomes into consideration in all cases.

WILL I RECEIVE OR PAY ALIMONY OR SPOUSAL MAINTENANCE?

There are no guidelines for alimony, the legal term of which is spousal maintenance. Many divorce cases involve no alimony, in which neither party pays alimony and neither party receives it. If there is a substantial income disparity between the parties, and the parties have been married for a long period of time, there is a greater likelihood of alimony. You must discuss the specific facts and circumstances of your case with your attorney to rule in, or rule out, the possibility of alimony.

WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES FOR PARENTING TIME/VISITATION?

Although the Minnesota Supreme Court advisory task force has provided a general set of recommendations, there are no specific guidelines in Minnesota law for parenting time/visitation with a non-custodial parent, however there is a presumption of 25% parenting time. In many cases, the parents are able to agree on a parenting schedule that is suitable for the children. If the court is presented with a dispute, the court will often obtain guidance from a neutral professional, such as a custody evaluator or a guardian ad litem, to determine what is in the childrens’ best interests.

WHAT IS DIVORCE MEDIATION?

Divorce mediation is a process of resolving the issues in a divorce case by agreement of the parties, instead of by the decision of the court after a trial. After it is determined that there are disputed issues, and before the disputed issues are litigated in court, the issues are presented to a mediator, who is a neutral professional who has no authority to render a decision on the disputed issues. The mediator assists the parties in finding common ground, reasonable concessions, or creative solutions to facilitate the parties’ agreed resolution of the disputed issue(s). The divorce and family law attorneys of McCullough & Associates, P.A. represent clients who are engaged in the mediation process, and advise them as they move forward in the mediation process. In addition, D. Patrick McCullough serves as mediator in divorce cases, and has established a reputation as one of the most highly respected divorce mediators in Minnesota.

In practice, however, most parties in Minnesota use one of two main, well-established processes: mediation and early neutral evaluation.

Social Early Neutral Evaluation (SENE) is another option for parents to use when they are not in agreement on issues relating to their children. In this process, the parties sit down with two evaluators, one male and one female, and discuss their concerns and thoughts regarding custody and/or parenting time issues.  The evaluators generally begin by having the Petitioner (the person who started the case) discuss their thoughts on the children, how the parties have parented, and what they believe would be the best custody and parenting arrangement.  After the Petitioner has spoken,  the Respondent is then allowed to give their thoughts on the same topics.  Both parties are in the room when the evaluators hear from each parent, and both are instructed not to interrupt or interject but rather listen, take notes, and they will be given an opportunity to respond to the other parent’s comments.  During the conversation the evaluators often will ask questions, gather information, and try ensure that each party has had an equal chance to be heard, as it is important for each party to feel that it has been a fair process.  After the allotted period of time, the evaluators leave to discuss the issues and return with a recommendation, which they present to the parties.

Financial Early Neutral Evaluation (FENE) deals with financial issues such as property division, the characterization of property as marital or non-marital and spousal maintenance. Typically, there is only one evaluator in this process and the discussion tends to mirror mediation with the evaluator giving their opinions as to how they believe a court would likely rule in a particular situation after the evaluator has gathered the information he or she needs to make an informed recommendation regarding what he or she believes a court may do in a similar situation.  The recommendation is then used to focus the parties’ negotiations and to help them in structuring an agreement that is acceptable to both parties.

WHAT FEES CAN I EXPECT TO PAY? HOW WOULD I BE BILLED?

Divorce attorneys are not permitted to work on a contingency basis (where the attorney receives a percentage of the total award). Attorney’s fees in divorce cases are almost always on an hourly basis. Therefore, the client can expect to pay higher fees for cases that require a great deal of time, and lower fees for cases that resolve relatively quickly. Whether the case requires more than the retainer fee, and how much more, depends on many different circumstances, some of which you and your attorney can control, and many of which you cannot. Typically, the client will pay a retainer fee to begin the case. The amount of which depends on the specific facts and complexities of the case. At McCullough & Associates, P.A., if at the end of the case the entire retainer fee has not been utilized, the remainder is refunded to the client.

WHAT IF MY CASE INVOLVES ONE PARTY IN MN AND ONE PARTY IN ANOTHER STATE?

Interstate divorce, child custody, and child support cases involve several bodies of law that deal with the court’s jurisdiction to hear cases that involve parties who reside in more than one state. McCullough & Associates, P.A. has significant experience in advising clients on the best way to proceed with these kinds of cases.

WHAT IF THE OTHER PARENT OF MY CHILD RESIDES IN A COUNTRY OTHER THAN THE UNITED STATES?

It is important for clients who are parties to a divorce or child custody case involving more than one nation to be properly advised about the court’s jurisdiction under these circumstances. These cases involve court hearings, but often also involve contacts with embassies, peace officers, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Department of State. McCullough & Associates, P.A. provides strong representation in such cases, based upon expertise on jurisdictional issues, and experience with court proceedings, including those under the Hague Convention, to prevent losing custody of, or access to, your children.

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