Family Law
Wyse Kadish helps individuals, couples, and families navigate challenging family law issues. We bring not only deep expertise, but also patience and empathy to these trying situations. We help clients resolve a range of family law issues, including divorce, custody disputes, paternity suits, prenuptial and domestic partnership agreements, and other matters. Our approaches include litigation, negotiation, mediation, and collaborative services.
Litigation Services Alternatives to Litigation Domestic AgreementsLitigation Services
Wyse Kadish offers traditional litigation services as a means of resolving domestic disputes. Most litigated cases follow a standard series of steps.
After a case is filed, there may be a preliminary hearing to establish temporary support, custody and/or parenting time until the case is finally resolved. Alternatively, the parties may agree on these issues, in which case a hearing is not necessary.
Next, we compile all information about the family that is relevant to the resolution of the case. The parties produce financial records, so that there is a complete understanding of the family’s economic situation. When necessary and appropriate, experts may be brought in. Accountants, appraisers, actuaries, or financial planners help the attorney and the parties understand the financial issues in the case; psychologists and vocational therapists can help clarify issues around children and work. Often, a deposition is taken of each party, so that the attorneys can develop an understanding of how the opposing party views the case and how he or she will testify at trial.
During the course of this case preparation, we will attempt to settle some or all issues by engaging in negotiation with the other party. We may be assisted by a neutral, third-party mediator, or the negotiation may take place between attorneys or between attorneys and clients. If the case cannot be resolved, it is finally tried before a judge.
We have many years of experience in counseling clients through this litigation process. For a more detailed description of how we will handle your case, please contact us for a consultation.
Alternatives to Litigation
Many of our clients wish to avoid litigation and seek more amicable, cooperative approaches to their family law matters. Wyse Kadish offers alternative methods of dispute resolution.
Consultation Services
We offer consultation services for clients who wish to negotiate their own cases. For example, where two parties are resolving their divorce themselves through the assistance of a mediator, it can be helpful to also have a consulting attorney. That attorney does not attend mediation with you, but is available to counsel you during the process and to review drafted agreements before you sign. Because we are not offering full litigation services in this context, we enter into limited consulting arrangements with clients to provide this type of service. This is an excellent way to keep attorney fees down, but still enjoy the support and insight of an experienced attorney.
Collaborative Law Services
Wyse Kadish also offers collaborative law services. Collaborative law is a relatively new legal approach in which both parties and their attorneys sign a contract agreeing that the attorneys will not litigate the case. This focuses all of the attorneys’ efforts on settling the case, because the only way to succeed is to settle; the parties are not allowed to go to court. If the case is not resolved, the attorneys must resign and the clients must hire new attorneys to litigate the matter.
Domestic Agreements
Wyse Kadish offers assistance in negotiating and drafting domestic agreements, such as prenuptial, post-nuptial and domestic partnership contracts. To learn more about the benefits of these types of agreements, please contact us for a consultation.
Attorneys who practice Family Law: David Bean,
Meagan Robbins,
Chelsea Hickok ,
Karma L. Prajzler ,
Nicole Clooten
