Services for Unmarried Parents
Any parent will tell you, that parenting is hard! If you’re not married to your child’s other parent you may feel like you have even more on your shoulders as you navigate child custody, parenting time or child support. We want you to know you have all the same rights as married parents. Unfortunately, you may need an attorney to help protect those rights. That’s why we’ve added family law to our practice, so we can recommend a Salem custody lawyer right here in-house, at a firm you can trust. We can help you file for custody, create and enforce parenting time schedules and help you with child support. Your family is important to us. Our goal is to help you create the family situation that will help you and your child or children thrive.
How do I file for legal custody?
As an unmarried parent, you can file for custody at any time as long as there is not already a judgment awarding custody to one or both parents. As part of the process, you and your co-parent might agree on joint custody. This makes your case simpler, because the court will likely honor this agreement. Otherwise, the court will evaluate your situation and award sole custody to either you or your co-parent, based on the best interests of your children.
When you and your co-parent disagree, you will need to make case before a judge that you are the best “custodian” for your child or children. You and your attorney will gather facts related to your parenting style and ability to make legal decisions for your children and determine the best way to argue your case for custody. After both parents have prepared and presented their case, a judge will decide the case with your child’s best interest as the primary deciding factor.
I want to file for parenting time.
Parenting time cases are similar to custody cases, in that you can file for parenting time as long as there is not already a judgement in place awarding time to one or both parents. You and your custody lawyer will once again put together a case based on your parenting and ability to care for your children and your preferred parenting time plan. This process is fastest and simplest if you and your co-parent agree on a plan for your child’s time between the two households. Regardless, your case will go before a judge who decides on a plan that most closely aligns with what is best for your children.
How can I file for child support?
In Oregon, Child support is based on a strict statutory calculation, based primarily on your income, your co-parent’s income, and the amount of parenting time you are each awarded. Other considerations may include health insurance costs, other familial support obligations, and special circumstances that warrant additional support. Your Salem custody lawyer will be very familiar with these calculations and can help you get an idea what kind of support you may be eligible for. Then you and your attorney will gather facts related to your financial and personal situation and determine what support you can ask the court to mandate.
My co-parent already filed a petition, what can I do?
If your co-parent has filed a petition, we recommend meeting with a lawyer as soon as you can, to determine how to proceed. When you come in for a free consultation with us, one of our attorneys will consider the facts of your case and help you determine what options you have in responding to your co-parent’s petition. From there, if you choose to work with us, we can guide you through the process.
Our family already has a judgment for custody, time and support issues, but I want to change it. Do I have options?
Families change! A custody, parenting time or child support judgment that is already in place does not mean there can never be changes. If you already have a judgment you are looking for a Modification, and we’re happy to help you create a new plan for your family. Visit our Modifications page for more information on this process.
How much will this cost?
Bottom line – it depends. You’ll need to pay court costs and filing fees in addition to attorney fees. At Rank & Karnes, we value our clients’ financial wellbeing, and it is one of our top priorities to keep our fees as low as possible, while still charging a reasonable, competitive rate based on your attorney’s experience and talent. This means we may charge as little as $2,000 for some unmarried parent cases. But, depending on the details of your case, we may need to charge more. After your initial consultation, we will be able to provide you with a better estimate for your specific case, should you choose to work with us. We pledge not to surprise you – you’ll know what you’re paying and what to expect.
Choose a Salem custody lawyer with care.
We know enforcing your rights as an unmarried parent is a stressful experience. From the time you decide to file until your judgment is final, you will have to make some challenging decisions. One of these decisions will be whether to hire a lawyer, and if so, whom. At Rank & Karnes, our goal is to make the decision to hire us an easy one.
When you come in for a free consultation with us, you’ll get to share your story to one of our attorneys, who will consider your unique situation and help you determine what your case will entail. This first meeting will give you a sense of how long your case will take, how much it will cost, and what decisions you will have to make as part of the process. From there, if you choose to work with us, your Salem custody lawyer will do everything we can to make sure that this process is as simple and painless as possible. Then you and your family can move forward in a better place than where you started.
Get help today.
Request a free consultation
We know that facing family difficulties is hard, and you don’t have to do it alone. Schedule a consultation with us and we’ll help you create a brighter future.