Ewing Law Group, PC

Ewing Law Group, PC

Sacramento Child Support Attorneys

Divorce involves several complex legal concerns, but child support can be the most challenging and emotionally charged issue a couple confronts when deciding to dissolve their marriage. Even parents who commit to remaining amicable during a divorce can quickly find themselves in a contentious battle over the care of their children. Both parents are legally obligated to provide financial support for children, but the process of reaching a child support agreement that is mutually beneficial can be incredibly challenging. When parents cannot respectfully and productively communicate or are unwilling to make compromises, resolving child support can seem impossible.

The only way to ensure you can create a fair and effective child support agreement is to hire an attorney specializing in family law and child support. At Ewing Law Offices, our team of expert Sacramento child support attorneys understands that child support determinations are particularly complicated for most divorcing couples, and it is easy to feel powerless when you do not have reliable legal guidance. We can conduct negotiations between you and your ex so you can reach an agreement that allows you both to actively participate in your child’s life and provide them with the financial and emotional support they need to thrive.

Learn more about child support by consulting the information below, then contact Ewing Law Offices today to discuss your case. Having the right attorney on your side can alleviate tension, promote cooperation, and help you effectively navigate even the most sensitive issues with confidence and peace of mind. Our attorneys offer dedicated, compassionate, and responsive services and will work diligently to ensure you receive the most favorable outcome possible in your child support case.

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Is It Better to Get an Attorney for Child Support?

While it is sometimes possible to create a child support agreement without legal representation, this approach is not recommended. California’s child support laws are complex and challenging to understand without specialized legal knowledge. A Sacramento child support lawyer can assist you with the following components of your child support case:

● Protecting your parental rights and the interests of your child.

● Informing you of the state rules and regulations you must comply with to pay or receive child support payments.

● Ensuring you understand your legal responsibilities.

● Evaluating the specific details of your case to find the best approach for your family.

● Leading negotiations with the other parent to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome.

● Offering guidance and expert advice throughout the entire process.

● Utilizing the state child support formula to estimate support payments.

● Obtaining a court order that outlines the terms of your support agreement.

● Enforcing the order if your spouse refuses to meet their obligations.

● Helping you make modifications to a support agreement to reflect new circumstances, such as a change in employment, income, or family size.

● Representing you in court if necessary.

● Retaining the services of specialists and expert witnesses to provide support for your case.

● Persuading the judge to make a favorable ruling.

LITIGATING CHILD CUSTODY AND SUPPORT IN SACRAMENTO

If you and your spouse are beyond any hope of civil negotiation, you will need to litigate your divorce in open court, and this means the judge presiding over your case has the final say when it comes to child custody. The state of California has a legal obligation in every family law matter to protect the best interests of any children involved in such matters. In child custody cases, judges take several factors into account when making decisions about legal custody and physical custody. It’s vital to know what to expect regarding the criteria a judge will use to determine child custody, so you are fully prepared for your hearing.

Some of the factors you can expect to be explored in your child custody determination include:

● The separate income of each of the parents. A lower-earning parent who obtains primary custody will likely receive child support from the higher-earning spouse regardless of how much custody the paying spouse obtains.

● The living situation of each parent. A judge will seek an agreement that allows the child to maintain the same standard of living they were accustomed to during the marriage. To avoid disrupting the child’s everyday life, the custodial parent may be allowed to remain in the marital home. A judge is more likely to grant a larger share of custody to the parent who has proven they can provide the most stable and supportive living situation for the child.

● The child’s unique needs. If a child has a medical condition or disability that incurs higher than average expenses, the judge will consider these issues when determining an appropriate child support arrangement.

● Each parent’s custody rights. Even in cases where parents obtain 50/50 joint legal and physical custody over their children, the court may order child support to ensure both parents equally contribute to their children’s upbringing. A noncustodial parent with limited visitation rights will likely need to pay child support to the custodial parent, and a parent with less physical or legal custody would likely pay child support as well.

How Much Do Child Support Lawyers Charge?

While some Sacramento child support attorneys charge a flat fee for their services, most experienced family law attorneys bill clients with an hourly rate ranging from $250 to $500 per hour. The exact cost of retaining a child support attorney to handle your child support case depends on several factors, such as:

● The lawyer’s experience, abilities, specialized knowledge, and reputation.

● The complexity and difficulty of your case.

● Whether the case is contested or uncontested.

● The court fees required to litigate your case and keep records.

● The cost of hiring specialists or expert witnesses to provide official statements or evidence to support your case.

● The charge for using paralegal services to file paperwork, conduct research, or perform other tasks related to your case.

What If You Can’t Afford a Lawyer for Child Custody?

If you cannot afford a lawyer to represent you in a child custody case, there are several individuals and groups that provide legal assistance for free or at a low cost, including family law facilitators at your county court, legal aid agencies, nonprofit special interest groups, and government agencies.

Can You Sue for Child Support Years Later?

According to California law, parents are legally obligated to financially support their children, regardless of the status of their relationship or whether they have ever married or cohabitated. To ensure your children are appropriately provided for, the court may allow you to collect retroactive child support in some instances, such as delay in issuing or failure to issue a final child support order. However, you can only recover payments that would have made between the time the petition was filed and the present date, and these payments cover a maximum of three years.

The court will use the income of the parents during the retroactive period to determine the amount of the support payments and may consider other factors, including the number of children the parents have together, the number of children each parent has with other individuals, the earning capacity of each parent, and any expenses involving health insurance, health care, childcare, or special needs. In addition, the court may recognize any voluntary payments made by the noncustodial parent during this retroactive period to support the child’s health care, daycare, educational needs, or other expenses.

WHY HIRE THE EWING LAW GROUP?

When you need an experienced lawyer on your side, it’s vital to find one with practical experience handling cases similar to yours. Every case will have unique individual factors, but when it comes to a matter as delicate and essential as child support, you need an attorney with solid experience handling complex child support cases. At Ewing Law Group, PC, our team has more than 30 years of practical experience successfully representing all types of divorce cases in the Sacramento area, including those with difficult child custody-related factors.

We will leverage our extensive experience, resources, and skills to achieve the best outcome in your case. Our Sacramento child support attorneys will take time to get to know you, learn crucial information about your family situation, and determine your goals for child support. We handle every kind of child support issue, including requesting court orders for expenses involved in raising your child, modifying orders to accommodate changes in circumstance, and enforcing these orders to ensure your children are provided with the financial security they need.

FIND RELIABLE LEGAL COUNSEL NOW

Whether you expect to pay or receive child support through your divorce proceedings, the right attorney can make a significant difference in your experience and the outcome of your case. At the Ewing Law Group, PC, we provide responsive and compassionate legal representation to every client. When you retain our services, we will help you gather all the material evidence you need to make a strong case for custody over your children and do everything we can to ensure your case proceeds as smoothly as possible.

If you are interested in creating, modifying, or enforcing a child support order, contact Ewing Law Group, PC today to schedule a consultation with our team of Sacramento child support attorneys. We are dedicated to delivering the optimal results in your case and can help you strategize a child support agreement that prioritizes your child’s best interests.

Get Qualified Legal Assistance From Our Experienced Lawyers

Ewing Law Group, PC provides a wide array of legal services to clients in Sacramento and throughout Northern California.

To see how our law firm can help in your case, contact us online or call us at 279-900-8848 and schedule a consultation.

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