Auckland Family Lawyer – Areas They Can Help
Auckland Family Lawyers – What Topics Do They Cover?
Family law is a broad category covering a wide range of key areas. If you need help in any of the topics below, look for one of the Auckland family lawyers operating in the CBD.
The Aspects Covered By Family Law
Auckland family lawyers represent their clients in a number of different topics. According to the New Zealand Justice Department, these aspects include:-
Relationship Break-up
It can be hard to work through a break-up. After having invested your love and energy with your partner, you have to break away. Having to face the world as a single person is a big challenge and will bring a lot of changes.
Separation and Divorce
If the relationship break-up is deemed to be irretrievable, then the next step is separation or divorce as it used to be called. This will involve the formal breaking of the marriage or civil union as well as dividing the assets from that relationship.
Relationship Property
Assets gained during a relationship are to be divided equally. This often surprises one party who feels they have brought more to the union. This is often the male as they tend to be higher earners. However, under New Zealand law, all assets acquired during the relationship are deemed jointly owned and must be distributed in equal portions.
Care of Children
Children are often the innocent victims of a separation. Both parents may want to have their children to look after but often it is better for the children if this is not the case. The Family Court will look at the best option for the children.
Keeping Children Safe
This relates to Care or Protection Orders. This might be through Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children, or an order taken out against your partner, former or otherwise.
Domestic Violence
Assault and violence are too common. There is a range of different Orders that can be taken to protect a family member. A surprising number of cases of domestic violence are perpetrated by women so men can apply for Protection Orders too.
Paternity
This typically becomes an issue when the father is asked for child support payments. If the man denies being the father, the court can decide whether he is or not. Child Support payments are then deducted from the gross pay the IRD.
Adoption
Many couples cannot have children of their own. As a result, they apply for an Adoption Order through the Family Court. This only applies to adoption within New Zealand and does not cover children living overseas.
Changing gender on official documents
If a person has changed gender, they can apply to the Family Court to have the gender changed on their birth certificate.
Powers of Attorney or Making Decisions on Behalf of Other People
There is often a need to be able to make decisions for other people. A common situation is adult children on behalf of their aged parents. As people get older they become mentally or physically infirm so are not able to write or discuss options with a bank or electricity supplier for example. A Power of Attorney is also useful in case people become injured as in a car crash for example.
Auckland Family Lawyers – Finding One
There are a number of law firms that offer family law services. One of the bigger firms in the CBD that has a growing family law department is McVeagh Fleming. One can suppose that if the department is expanding then they must be good at delivering that service. If you are looking for Auckland family lawyers you can click the links above to find out more.