Hillsboro Oregon Divorce Lawyer

A New Beginning

Divorce changes nearly all areas and aspects of life. Once in the position of filing for or responding to a divorce, it is important to seek a knowledgeable, efficient divorce attorney. You want an attorney who provides comprehensive family law and divorce services that are tailored for their clients’ matters.

Filing a Divorce in Oregon

All cases in Oregon start with first filing a petition for dissolution of marriage or legal separation. From there, the petitioner must be served on the other party with a summon. At any time during the case, either party can request temporary orders that usually consist of establishing a temporary parenting time plan, temporary custody, exclusive use of the marital residence, temporary child support, temporary spousal support, and suit fees. Not all temporary matters are right for each case and an experienced divorce attorney will be able to advise. Following full discovery, including depositions, the parties typically attempt resolution of outstanding items through mediation prior to trial. If the parties are unable to resolve the items themselves, the case will be set for trial. During and before this process, it is important to watch what is said and done, especially online. Electronic communications, such as text messages, emails, and social media posts are discoverable evidence and may impact the outcome of the divorce during the trial or a custody/parenting time evaluation.

COMMON ISSUES

When to Contact a Hillsboro and Portland Family Law Attorney

Contact an attorney early on. Contacting and scheduling a consult with a divorce attorney at the outset of your matter, prior to filing any paperwork, ensures your interests are protected from the start to finish. This includes whether you are simply looking for advice prior to submission of the divorce petition or modification motion. However, there is no set time frame in Oregon dictating when an individual should retain an attorney. Regardless of what stage of the process you are in, a skilled dissolution attorney will be able to appear and properly protect your interests at each stage both in and out of the courtroom.

Litigation attorneys understand firsthand that not all cases should go to trial. Rather, they focus on assisting clients to resolve disputes through mediation, collaborative law, arbitration, or other informal resolution processes. However, not all disputes can be resolved by agreement between the parties. In these circumstances, a Hillsboro and Portland Divorce Lawyers take pride in representing and advocating for our clients in the courtroom.

Impact of Divorce on Children

Divorces are hard on children, protect yours. Most parents’ main concern following a dissolution is the impact of the separation on their children and the shift in the family dynamic.  From guiding you through a parenting time or custody evaluation, a great family law attorney will understand the implications relating to the best interests, including safety and happiness, of your children and are prepared to advocate on your behalf to ensure a smooth transition during the divorce proceedings.

Divorce Length

Divorces last as long as they need to. The length of a divorce depends greatly on the complexity and intricacies of a given marriage. For example, if the parties have children, they will need to first attend a mandatory parenting time course and mediation prior to any final hearing or judgment being entered in their matter.  However, a contested Oregon divorce will typically take between 8 – 12 months to complete. This includes the initial consultation to mediation of the party’s claims, to wrapping up your matter following resolution or trial. However, if the parties agree to everything sometime shortly after filing the petition, the process can move along much quicker. A simple collaborative divorce can be completed in as little as a month.

Costs and Attorney Fees

A good lawyer saves you money. During the initial consultation, we will discuss the issues relating to your divorce and the potential fees and costs associated with each step. Every case is very unique. However, we do charge for one hour of the attorney’s time as a consultation fee. The consultation fee has one of the best cost to benefit ratios of any financial decisions you’ll make. This is where you will talk with an experienced professional to really understand your legal situation and options.