Baton Rouge Family Lawyer

For a Family Law Attorney in the Know, Geaux Cascio!

Family law cases are incredibly personal and often emotional. The outcome of most family law cases can change your family’s future significantly, so it is important that the case is handled with care, compassion, and experience. When you begin a family law case, whether it is a divorce or separation, child custody determination, or another case, you should find a knowledgeable Baton Rouge family lawyer who can handle the case with the gravity it deserves.

Each family law case is unique, including the legal issues you are facing and your loved ones. You should find an attorney who can bring you the individualized legal support you need and who will listen to and uphold your priorities.

The Cascio Law Firm: Dedicated and Compassionate Family Lawyers

When getting divorced, figuring out a child custody arrangement, or going through another family law matter, you need sound legal advice and firm representation from an attorney you can trust. The Cascio Law Firm has represented residents of Baton Rouge since 2001. Attorney Chris Cascio will give your case personalized attention and seek a resolution that fits you and your children. The firm handles all types of family law concerns, including:

• Contested and uncontested divorce
• Setting up child custody arrangements
• Helping parents understand their child support rights and obligations
• Post-decree enforcement and amendments

These are more than legal proceedings. They affect the makeup of your family and your rights as a parent. Chris Cascio understands the emotions involved with any family law case, especially when children are involved.

He will treat your matter with care and sensitivity, and he won’t do anything without explaining what is going on and getting your permission first. You will partner with Chris, who will personally handle every aspect of your case step by step until it is resolved.

Family Law Practice Areas in Baton Rouge

There are many types of cases in family law courts. Some of the most common types of cases that we handle at the Cascio Law Firm include:

Divorce

A divorce case often deals with numerous types of family law cases at the same time, especially when a couple has children or complex assets. This complicates an already stressful situation. Divorce is an emotionally and financially draining situation, but most couples who make the choice to get a divorce do so to benefit themselves and their family.

Whether you and your spouse agree on getting an amicable divorce or your divorce is contested and even ligated, legal representation helps you protect your rights. Divorces in Louisiana can be contested or uncontested, no-fault or fault-based, and/or handled through divorce negotiation or in court through litigation. Each type of divorce may have unique waiting periods and filing requirements.

A divorce lawyer can talk you through these options and determine what is right for you and your family’s future. Getting a divorce out of court can often be beneficial, as it allows you control over the outcome, and it can be less expensive. However, there are some cases where a litigated divorce is needed, such as to protect you from a spouse or simply because negotiations are not possible for a couple. An attorney can help you prepare for your divorce process.

Property Division

The division of property occurs during a divorce. Louisiana is a community property state, so the court will split a couple’s marital assets and debts as close to equal as possible. Marital assets are the assets a couple gains throughout their marriage due to the efforts of either spouse.

Property division can be very stressful for couples, as it increases the financial strain of the divorce. If a couple does not want the family court to split their assets based on community property laws, they can reach an agreement outside of court. As long as the resulting split is not unfair to either spouse, the court is likely to approve it. An attorney can aid this process and help negotiations go more smoothly.

Spousal Support

Spousal support, or alimony, is the financial support one spouse pays to the other. It is not a part of every divorce case and is less common than it used to be. Spousal support is more common if there is a substantial gap between the income or assets of each spouse. Support could be awarded during ongoing divorce proceedings, as part of the divorce decree after finalization, or both.

If you are a spouse in need of financial support to meet your basic needs, your attorney can help you advocate for fair support. If you are a spouse expecting to pay spousal support, an attorney can help you if your spouse is asking for an unfair amount or advocate for a fair amount that does not put you in financial hardship.

Child Custody and Support

When a couple is separating or divorcing and they have children, the process is more complex and often more emotionally charged. Each parent wants what is right for their children. Even when parents are amicably working on a schedule for parenting time with their children, this can lead to stress and frustration. Having an attorney by your side can help negotiations go smoother, help limit arguments, and ensure you focus on the interests of your children.

There are numerous benefits for families in determining custody and support outside of court, including limiting the stress on children. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. If either parent refuses to cooperate with negotiations, or a parent and their children are in danger from the other parent, going to court is likely necessary. This can help a parent protect themselves and their children.

You can discuss your unique case with an attorney to determine what is right for your family. An attorney can review different types of custody, calculate a fair amount of child support, and help families move forward with their lives.

Enforcement and Modifications

When divorce or separation orders are entered into the court, they must be followed. If one spouse or partner does not follow these orders, the other party can take steps to enforce the orders.

If one parent is not meeting their child support payments, ignores a custody arrangement, or is not paying alimony, this can be enforced by the court. An attorney can help you navigate these steps, determining what options you have before charging contempt of court.

However, court orders are not unchangeable. If certain family law orders are no longer right for your family, you can request a modification from the court. Your attorney can determine if you can modify certain orders and how.

How Much Does a Family Lawyer Charge in Baton Rouge?

Most family law attorneys in Baton Rouge charge an hourly rate for their services, but this rate can vary substantially based on the specific attorney and your unique case or requested legal service. An attorney’s rates vary based on some of the following:

• Attorney Experience: When an attorney has years of experience in family law, experience with the type of family law case you are dealing with, and has had a lot of successful outcomes in those cases, they will likely have higher rates. Always be sure to look over an attorney’s past cases and experience rather than assuming experience based on their high rates.
• Fee Structure: Family law cases are generally charged hourly, and a family lawyer may also charge a retainer fee. This is an upfront payment that reserves a certain number of hours of work toward your case. In cases that will take a short amount of time, the attorney may charge a flat fee.
• Case Complexity: If you have a more complex case, you can expect higher costs. The rate may be higher to account for the work that needs to be done, and the time the case takes will increase the hourly costs.
• Type of Legal Service: Some services will not be as costly for several of the prior reasons. An attorney who reviews a prenuptial agreement is likely to charge less than an attorney representing you in divorce litigation.

There may be many other factors that influence an attorney’s fees. It is important that you discuss costs with your attorney during the initial meeting.

Why You Need a Family Law Attorney

It can be tempting to try to save money on legal fees by negotiating a settlement yourself. However, you can cost yourself a lot more money in the long run. Even worse, you could unknowingly give up a big part of your right to spend time with and help raise your kids.

Working with an experienced family law attorney virtually removes that unjust possibility. The Cascio Law Firm will make your rights clear to you and defend them in negotiations and in court.

At the same time, Chris will keep emotions out of the process as much as possible and work toward a solution that you and your ex or co-parent can agree to. Avoiding resentment over the settlement is especially important if you and the other party will be raising children together.

FAQs

Q: What Does a Family Lawyer Do?

A: A family lawyer handles cases in the family court system, which largely includes divorce and separation cases, which themselves can have aspects like property division, child custody, spousal support, and child support. Depending on the scope of the lawyer’s practice, they may also handle adoptions, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, estate planning, paternity, guardianships, and other family law-related cases.

Q: What Are the Most Common Family Law Cases?

A: Some of the most common family law cases include:

• Divorce and separation
• Child custody, visitation, and parenting time agreements
• Spousal and/or child support cases
• Marital agreements
• Division of marital property
• Paternity cases
• Terminations of parental rights
• Protective orders for victims of abuse
• Adoptions
• Name changes
• Annulment

In many family law cases, multiple areas of family law interact in the same case, which can make them more difficult to manage.

Q: What Type of Lawyer Is Ideal for Divorce?

A: The ideal type of lawyer for a divorce is a family lawyer. It is always important to look at a lawyer’s areas of practice and what types of divorce cases they work on. Every divorce is unique, but there are certain common complicating factors, such as having a lot of assets, being in the military, or having children. You should make sure that your potential attorney has the necessary resources and experience with these cases.

Q: Who Loses the Most in a Divorce?

A: In a legal sense, a divorce is intended to be as fair as possible, and both spouses are meant to lose an equal portion of their shared assets in community property states. Spouses are meant to leave the divorce process with half of their shared assets and all of their personal assets. Alimony is meant to provide a lower-earning spouse with the support that they need.

Talk to a Lawyer About Your Family Law Conflict

For a confidential consultation with Chris Cascio, contact the Cascio Law Firm in Baton Rouge at 225-377-3595. You can discuss the details of your case with Chris and get your questions answered. With our legal team on your side, you can rest assured that you are getting the quality legal support you need to be successful.