We understand that the division of a family is an unsettling emotional experience for all involved. That is why at Brown Law Group we work adamantly to help our clients through the difficult disputes over children and guardianship.
By providing information and support, we oversee the legal aspects of your case while guarding your best interests and advocating for the welfare of any family members who may be involved.
Our Edmonton family lawyers can provide the knowledge and representation you require through troubling and difficult child guardianship cases.
What To Expect
Our primary goal, as experienced Edmonton guardianship lawyers, is to protect the people who are involved and to reduce the amount of pain, suffering, and unpredictability as much as possible.
In any marriage involving children, child guardianship law is often a central legal issue of the separation. Appearing in court for child guardianship cases can be frightening and intensely emotional, especially when the guardianship of your child is being determined.
At Brown Law Group we employ experienced family lawyers to assist in resolving family law problems reasonably, cost-effectively and in the least stressful manner possible. We will make all legal decisions and options available to you so the course of family law action you choose is well-informed and as stress-free as possible.
If an amicable settlement cannot be reached, Brown Law Groups’ highly skilled child guardianship and family lawyers will stand beside you as your case goes to trial. Through our meticulous attention to detail, strong aptness for negotiating, and exceptional ability for defending the legal rights of our clients, we ensure that you will receive compassionate and proficient family lawyer representation.
Generally, a child guardianship hearing is presented in a smaller setting than an adversarial criminal hearing. Furthermore, many child guardianship hearings have a limited time frame and will not last very long.
That is why our Edmonton child guardianship and family lawyers strive to be as sufficiently prepared as possible to represent our clients.
Preparing For Child Guardianship Hearings
Child guardianship cases can be an unfamiliar and unsettling process and it’s best to be as sufficiently prepared as possible to mitigate emotional stress and difficult guardianship outcomes.
According to Canadian law, until courts have decided otherwise, both parents have equal rights of guardianship to any and all children.
Although there is an enormous amount of information to synthesize and understand, Brown Law Group and our experienced team of family lawyers will work diligently to make sure you have the information needed to properly understand the subsequent guardianship laws in Alberta and Canada so you can face the uncertainties of child guardianship hearings.
Furthermore, independently reading and learning about the latest information surrounding child guardianship and family law can also help you prepare questions for your child guardianship lawyer before the hearing date approaches.
As in many other countries, in Canada, child guardianship courts generally decide what would be in the child’s best interests and grant guardianship according to their interpretation of information provided. This can include such factors as:
- The parents’ ability to provide for their children’s financial and emotional needs
- The children’s relationship with the parent
- If the child is of a certain age, their preference for which parent they would like to be with
- If you have multiple children, courts usually prefer to keep them together
- Courts tend to rule based on status quo (minimizing the disruption of the child’s life)
- Which parent was the primary caregiver prior to divorce
- Time available for children (working hours, etc.)
- Other special needs the child requires
When preparing for your child guardianship proceedings, it never hurts to be proactive. By gathering and listing your combined and separate property assets, debts, and supporting documentation, and providing them to your family lawyer, the process of moving forward with your case can be much easier.
Additionally, it is always recommended that you prepare a detailed report of your income, expenses, and any recent pay stubs, which your family lawyer will require as they move forward with representing you.
Support For Parents
One of the most common concerns we hear from our family law clients is how their child guardianship hearing will impact their children, and how to best protect their children’s mental health, well-being, and future needs.
A marriage dissolving can cause a lot of upset and has the potential to turn even the most amicable of families against one another. All parties are exposed to tense and uneasy conditions during the child guardianship process. That is why it’s imperative that parents trust the recommendations of their child guardianship lawyer.
At Brown Law Group, we encourage all of our clients to take the following precautions:
- Do not try to persuade your child(ren) to agree with one parent over the other
- Do not expose your child(ren) to any hostility or anger you may feel toward their other parent
- Do remind your child(ren) that both of their parents love them and will continue to so
- Do reassure your child(ren) that the divorce is in no way their fault, and is not a result of anything they have done wrong
- Do remember that it’s normal for your child(ren) to struggle with difficult emotions during this time and encourage them to communicate their feelings often
- Do look into therapy programs and other resources for your child(ren) if you feel that additional support would benefit them
And remember, our team of dedicated child guardianship and family lawyers in Edmonton are here to support you. If you need assistance finding additional supports and resources for your child(ren), we can help.
We are always happy to connect our clients with local programs and organizations to ensure you receive all the support you need.