Family law encompasses a broad range of legal services, from divorce to child custody to women’s and children’s rights. If you and your family need legal services, contact Taylor Law Firm, PLLC, to schedule a consultation with our experienced family law attorney. Our attorney will help you understand your legal options and work toward a solution that meets your and your family’s needs.
We have proudly served the Moore community’s families with comprehensive legal support since 1993 and over two generations of family law attorneys. Attorney Kevin S. Taylor joined the firm in 2009 and took over as the lead attorney in 2019 upon his father’s retirement. Over the years, our firm has secured positive results for our clients across a spectrum of family law cases.
Getting a divorce is one of the most significant decisions you may face throughout your life. It frequently has a significant impact on your family, your relationships, and your finances. In Oklahoma, the two primary types of divorce are contested and uncontested.
A contested divorce occurs when the parties disagree on one or more terms of the separation, including the division of marital property or child custody. An uncontested divorce is when the parties agree to all the terms of the divorce and can be performed through the Cleveland County District Court Clerk’s Office for Moore residents.
Separate and Marital Property
One of the most contentious aspects of a divorce, especially involving significant assets, is the division of marital property. Marital property includes most assets gained by the parties during the marriage, and dividing it equitably is an essential step of divorce.
Separate property is the individual property owned by each party that isn’t divided during a divorce. This property includes:
Alimony Payments
Alimony, sometimes called spousal support or maintenance, is a scheduled payment made from one party to another after a divorce. The amount and length of the payments depend on various factors, including the length of the marriage and the parties’ contributions to it.
Alimony payments don’t apply to all divorce cases. Typically, alimony is only present in cases where there is a significant gap in the income or earning capacity of the parties, such as when one party was a stay-at-home parent and lacks the education and training to get a high-paying job or when one party has a disability that prevents them from working.
Oklahoma law considers several factors when determining child custody in divorce cases and other custody disputes. However, the biggest factor is the best interests of the child. The three types of custody available to parents in the state are:
Child support is often a part of sole custody scenarios but can also apply to joint custody scenarios. Child support payments are typically made by the noncustodial parent to the custodial parent for a portion of the child’s expenses, including for their education, clothing, food, and housing.
Parents and grandparents can seek rights to their children or grandchildren through court orders in Moore, Oklahoma. Some of the most common forms of seeking parental rights in Oklahoma include adoptions, paternity actions, and grandparents’ rights.
Adoption
Through the formal adoption process, adoptive parents can gain the same rights to an adopted child as they would have to their biological child. Likewise, the adopted child has the same rights as the biological child of their adoptive parents.
The adoption process involves several key steps, including background checks, home visits, interviews, and court hearings. These steps are vital for making sure the parents can meet the child’s needs and provide them with a safe and loving home.
Paternity Actions
Paternity actions are court-ordered DNA tests to identify a child’s father. In cases where the parents are unmarried, a paternity test may be necessary for a father to gain parental rights to their child or a mother to seek child support payments from the father.
Grandparents’ Rights
Grandparents can seek visitation rights to their grandchildren through a court petition outlining why they believe these rights are in their grandchild’s best interest. Contact with grandparents is often beneficial for children, and courts may be particularly amenable to granting grandparent visitation rights if the child’s nuclear family has been disrupted.
In addition to divorce, child custody, and parental rights cases, our firm can assist you with seeking guardianship of a minor or incapacitated adult, modifying or enforcing a court order, handling issues unique to military families, and protecting victims of domestic violence, such as women and children.
Guardianships
A guardianship allows a trusted individual, such as a family member or close friend, to gain legal authority over another person (the ward) and their property. The two types of situations that guardianships apply to are minor children and adults who are incapacitated due to cognitive decline or disability. Through a guardianship, these individuals can receive the care and support they need.
Court Order Modifications and Enforcement
With the help of an experienced family law attorney, you can petition the court to modify a previous order, such as one outlining the terms of child custody, child support, or alimony. To successfully modify a court order, you must provide evidence showing the necessity of the modification.
For example, if seeking to reduce the amount of alimony you owe, you could show that your former spouse obtained a higher-paying job and no longer relies on alimony payments to make ends meet.
An attorney can also help you enforce the terms of an existing court order, such as if your child’s other parent isn’t making child support payments on time.
Military Family Issues
Military families in Moore face unique challenges due to overseas deployments. Our lawyers can assist you in handling both the state and federal laws that apply to your case.
Women’s and Children’s Rights
Women and children often face hurdles when seeking protection orders after domestic violence or enforcement of child support or alimony payments. Our family law attorney has extensive experience standing up for the rights of women and children and fighting for their best interests in various family law cases.
Do you require family law services in Moore, Oklahoma? Contact Taylor Law Firm, PLLC, to schedule a consultation with our experienced family law attorney about your case. During your initial consultation, our attorney will review your situation, explain the legal options available to you, and work with you to develop a plan that protects your and your family’s interests.
Family law issues are among some
of the most difficult life has to offer. When your family, assets and future are on the line, I will stand by your side.
