Family Matters

When problems arise in a family that become insurmountable, sometimes the only solution is to get a court to decide these issues.  When you are married, this involves filing a Complaint for Divorce and then working things through the court system to make sure you get the best possible outcome in regards to raising your children, the division of any property you might either share or which was accumulated during the marriage – like, for example, your spouse’s pension or retirement account.  When unmarried people share children, the filing of a Complaint to Determine Parental Rights is the way the court will decide the same child-related issues a divorce court handles if the couple had been married.

At Sanders, Hanstein & Carey we make family matters cases a top priority, and we handle many of them.  In addition to divorces and parental rights complaints, we also handle more specialized family law matters, including claims of De Facto Parentage (explained below) and Guardianship cases that become necessary either for minors, when no suitable parent is around to take care of their needs, or for elderly persons or any adults with special needs who are no longer able to look out for themselves.

De facto Parentage

De facto parentage cases are still relatively new. Those are cases when a third party, such as a grandparent or step-parent or somebody connected to children, have established a parent/child relationship with a child. Those cases require the party to show that they have standing to proceed as a de facto parent, and if the Court agrees, then they will have an opportunity to litigate a case and get an order that would grant the parental rights.

Protective Custody/Child Protection

A Protective Custody case is opened when the Department of Health and Human Services becomes involved in a family's life and has requested court intervention. This often means that the children have been removed from the home and placed in foster care. Our firm has successfully represented parents that have found themselves in this situation and have been able to reunify with their children. Our firm has also successfully represented individuals that are not the biological parents but have an interest in the well-being of the children in these cases, such as foster parents and grandparents.

Guardian ad Litem

You may find yourself needing Guardian ad Litem services in your family case, child protection case, or probate court case. A Guardian ad Litem is a person appointed by the court to gather information and prepare recommendations concerning children involved in the court case. The GAL is the "eyes and ears" of the court and helps the court determine what is in the best interest of the child. Our firm handles GAL cases in addition to our litigation practice.