Finding the right representation for your family law case can be challenging.  You want to make sure the representation you hire has experience with your situation and a track record of success.  You also have to trust them to give you the best advice and to be dedicated to seeing your case through.

Here are five suggestions we have on finding the right family law attorney in Minnesota:

1. Do they offer a free consultation?  Lawyers should be willing to meet with you, free of charge, to discuss your case and if they believe you have a case worth pursuing, or if there are alternatives to seek out first such as mediation.
2. References, references, references. Make sure the family lawyer you meet with can provide you with proof they have experience where you most need it.
3. Do they ‘specialize’ in everything? When you are looking for a family law attorney, you should make sure that is what they specialize in. All-in-one law firms tend to lack the expertise needed in the family law courtrooms.
4. Check them out on the BBB.  If you see any recent complaints or a grade that is a C, D, or F, walk away.
5. Google them.  A fast Google search for the firm’s name can turn up reviews, good or bad, about the firm. Doing this research can give you a better idea of the family law attorneys you are trusting your case to.

At Butler & Allen, P.A. we specialize in family law and fathers rights in Minnesota.  If you would like to meet with us for a free consultation to discuss your case, call us at 651-228-0720 or fill out our online contact form and we will get back to you soon.

At Butler and Allen, P.A., we strive to protect the father’s rights.  The family lawyers at our firm have handled thousands of family law cases and are ready to represent you in the family law situation you are in.  Whether you are going through a divorce, a custody battle, or starting the process with mediation, we can help advise you and protect your rights as a father.

Daniel Butler, a managing partner at Butler and Allen, wrote an article on the topic of father bias in the courtroom that was published in 1995.  We have a copy of the article on our site here – Father’s Get The Shaft In Family Law Proceedings.

At Butler and Allen we know that the bias can exist and are prepared to protect your rights as a father in Minnesota.  Contact us today to discuss your situation and we can help during this time in your life to get you the custody and rights you deserve.

If you are a parent in Minnesota, please be aware of the many family education programs available to you and your family.  A simple search for “Parenting Classes MN” can give you in seconds resources such as parenting classes in Minnesota, parenting support groups, and workshops for families struggling with divorce or separation.

A snippet of the search results for "Parenting Classes MN"

Because parenting is such a personal topic, you may feel nervous or embarrassed to ask for help.  With the number of resources and communities out there however, you should embrace new ideas and group sessions.

We work with families dealing with an array of different family law issues and are able to tailor our experience and knowledge to your case.  We want the best outcome for your family and often services such as parenting classes or mediation are a step in the right direction.

Please contact our St Paul family law office if you have a case you would like to discuss with one of our attorneys.  651-228-0720.

When filing for a divorce in Minnesota, you are required to attend an education program.  The class “Parents Forever” is offered through the University of Minnesota Extension and you can find the class listings here.  The classes are available throughout the metro area and range in price from $50-$90.

These classes are designed to give the parents tools to help their children through the divorce.  The class teaches parents about the impact of divorce on children and how as a family you can find an agreeable way to move forward with your lives.  More information on the “Parents Forever” program can be found at their website here.

At Butler & Allen we want to work with your family to find the best resolution and to make sure both parties are compliant in divorce requirements, such as parent education classes.  Contact us today to learn more about our attorneys and get a free consultation.

Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) is a federal law which protects Indian children who are members or eligible members of a federally recognized tribe.  The law allows the child’s tribe to be involved in the child’s case to help keep the community stable and to help eliminate the removal of children from their homes and then placing them in public and private agencies.  The tribe may intervene in the case and petition the case be moved to the tribal court.

To find more information on the ICWA law please visit their website here: http://www.nicwa.org/Indian_Child_Welfare_Act/faq/

The family attorneys at Butler & Allen are here to help with every situation from child custody to divorce to father’s rights in the courtroom.  Please contact one of our experienced attorney’s today and we will offer you a free consultation to discuss your case.

Custody battles are a common side effect of a divorce.  The court has a few options when awarding custody.  While joint custody is often preferred for both parties involved and may be best for the children, one option is Divided Custody.  

Divided custody is when one child lives with one parent, and the other child with the other parent.  It is not usually the desired ruling although divided custody will usually still allow visitation rights to the parents to see both children, but each child would have a primary parent.

Custody battles are something that our Family Law Firm are familiar with and we can help you to achieve the best outcome for your situation.  Contact us today to discuss your case and what we can do to win you the child custody you deserve.  Also visit our Child Custody FAQ page to learn more about custody.

Recently the San Francisco Chronicle reported on a story about social media use in the courtroom and specifically, in family law cases.  A San Francisco family law firm warns social networking accounts and their activity are being used as evidence in divorce and child custody cases and that trend is on the rise.

This is a fair warning, and a good reminder that most social media account settings default to public, so any updates or tweets you send out are published for everyone to view.  The article explains that the social media activity is fair game in a courtroom and can be used against a parent in a child custody battle, for example.  It is also becoming more common for clients to turn over their social media passwords to the opposing counsel to view.  The article also provides many good recommendations for parents in a child custody battle or divorce:

• Emphasize pictures of your children
• De-emphasize pictures of drinking or other questionable behavior
• Adjust privacy settings so you have more control over who can post pictures of you or write on your Facebook Wall

These recommendations are important and you can find the entire article here.  If you are currently dealing with a divorce or child custody proceedings, contact Butler and Allen to review your rights and let us help you come to a settlement that is good for both parties involved.  New trends such as social media can be complex and having an experienced family law attorney on your side to help you come up with a strategy is the smart way to approach it.

Annulment is the term used for the court procedure to void a marriage.  Annulment is used for many reasons, some of them include:

• One party was unable to voluntarily consent to the marriage at the time it took place due to mental illness, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or if their was a threat on someone or force used to agree to the marriage.
• Unable to consummate the marriage and the other party did not know at the time of marriage
• One of the parties was not of legal age for Marriage.  In Minnesota the legal age for marriage is 18.  16 with a parent consent.

There are time limits for filing for an annulment.  If you believe you need an annulment in Minnesota, you should speak with a lawyer and they can guide you through the process.  The attorneys at Butler& Allen PA can help you if you think you would like to file for annulment.

Contact one of our lawyers today and we will be in touch with you soon.

Alimony, also referred to as spousal maintenance, is a term to describe the legal obligation of a spouse to provide financial support to the other spouse after separation or divorce. 

The alimony amount, how it should be paid, and for how long are up to the judge hearing your case.  One of the main reasons for alimony is to ensure the same standard of life can continue for both parties after a divorce or separation. 

For more information please visit our Alimony page.  The attorney’s at Butler and Allen have successfully worked with clients during divorce and separation proceedings in Minnesota.  Contact us today for a free consultation regarding your family law dispute.

View our attorney profiles here.

We would like to provide you with definitions of common legal terms that you may hear during a family law dispute.  You will be able to reference all of the articles by clicking on the ‘Legal Term Glossary’ category of the blog.  The MN family law attorney’s at Butler & Allen, P.A. are here to help you.  Please contact us with any additional legal questions.