Westport Connecticut Divorce Lawyer and Family Law
Divorcing? Get Help From a Westport Family Lawyer Now
Going through the process of getting a divorce in Fairfield County is often lengthy, frustrating, and even heartbreaking. You never intended your marriage to fail, however, now that the best step forward is dissolving your legal union, it’s important to know how to protect your family’s interests. Here’s what you should know about Connecticut divorce law and how a Westport family law firm can assist you.
How a Westport Connecticut Divorce Attorney Can Help You
Dealing with the process of getting a dissolution of marriage in Connecticut Superior courts can be challenging, time consuming, and expensive. When you work with an experienced attorney, you can increase the chances of obtaining a favorable settlement.
A Westport divorce lawyer can help you:
Get the Alimony You Deserve
If you’re the lesser earning spouse in a divorce, alimony is likely to be a critical aspect of your separation. Spousal support is designed to help bridge the gap between married and independent life, affording you time to learn new skills or obtain additional job training.
A Westport, CT family law firm can help you pursue adequate spousal maintenance after you decide to get a divorce. Connecticut offers three types of alimony: temporary, rehabilitative, and open-ended. Temporary alimony is generally awarded during the divorce, while rehabilitative and open-ended alimony are awarded once a divorce is finalized. Open-ended support is the least commonly awarded and is what other states consider “permanent” alimony.
Fight for Custody of Your Children
A Westport, CT divorce attorney can help you understand how child custody works in Connecticut and how to advocate for the best interests of your children. If you and your spouse do not agree on how custody and visitation should be divided between the two of you, your lawyer can help you fight for custody arrangements that best meet the needs of your children.
Establish Paternity
In many family law cases, it’s necessary to establish legal paternity in order to award custody, visitation, and child support. This must be done carefully and by an accredited hospital or laboratory to be considered legally admissible in a Connecticut Superior court. Your Westport divorce attorney can assist you with obtaining acceptable proof of paternity, regardless of which side of the child custody and support matter you are on.
Divide Marital Assets Fairly
Connecticut considers all property and assets acquired during the marriage marital property and therefore subject to equitable distribution laws, which is quite different from how other neighboring states like New York handle the division of marital assets. It’s important to work with a divorce lawyer in Connecticut who understands these differences and how they can dictate which spouse gets what in a Westport dissolution of marriage.
Enforce Court Orders
If your spouse refuses to follow court orders for child custody and visitation, child support, or spousal maintenance, an experienced divorce attorney in Connecticut can help you enforce them. Your lawyer can issue a letter to your spouse insisting they comply and outlining the consequences if they don’t, which is often enough to motivate noncompliant spouses. However, if your spouse continues to neglect their court-ordered responsibilities, your attorney can help you pursue additional enforcement action.
Obtain a Prenuptial Agreement
Prenuptial agreements can help protect you as you enter into a legal marital union. If you’re already married and don’t have a prenup, a postnuptial agreement can be drafted in its place. Both of these legally binding agreements can help ensure that in the event of a divorce, you are treated fairly and given the opportunity to successfully become independent before losing access to marital benefits.
A divorce lawyer in Westport can help you learn what can and can’t be included in a prenuptial agreement and draft a contract that protects your best interests. Your spouse should consult their own attorney regarding the agreement and both parties should be on the same page before the contract is signed.
Get a Same Sex Divorce
If you’re in a same sex marriage and are considering divorce, it’s important to work with a divorce attorney in Westport who is sensitive to the unique issues divorcing LGBTQ+ individuals face. Often, traditional approaches to child custody and spousal support do not serve the best interests of LGBTQ+ divorcees and their children. A seasoned attorney with specific experience in same sex divorce is one of your most valuable assets when going through the dissolution of a gay marriage.
Call Veteran Westport Divorce Attorney Heidi E. Opinsky Now
Are you considering getting a divorce from your spouse, or has your spouse told you they want to separate? It’s important that you secure comprehensive, zealous legal representation as soon as possible. Even if you’ve not yet decided what you want to do, an experienced Connecticut family lawyer can help you better understand the options available to you.
Contact Westport Divorce Attorney Heidi E. Opinsky today for a consultation to learn more about Connecticut family law and how it can impact your dissolution of marriage.
Call now at 203-653-3542.
Serving all neighborhoods in Westport, including Coleytown, Compo Beach, Compo South, Greens Farms, Hunt Club, Long Lots, In Town, Old Hill, Red Coat, Saugatuck, and Saugatuck Shore.
About Westport, Connecticut
Westport, CT is a town along the famous Gold Coast, just southwest of Ridgefield, Redding, and Weston. It’s a great place for New York City commuters to live, being just 52 miles away. Its population is just over 26,000 people and continues to grow as one of the wealthiest communities in the state. Westport ranks #19 on the list of America’s 100 Richest Places. Area amenities include but are not limited to:
- Earthplace
- Sherwood Island State Park
- Burying Hill Beach
- Compoe Beach
- Westport Museum for History and Culture
- Birchwood Country Club
- Newman Poses Preserve