Real Help With Family Law Concerns In Minnesota
Family law governs our most important relationships. Whether it is divorce, child custody, parenting time, paternity or child support, we have the experience to help you achieve your goals. Hiring a lawyer who knows family law in Minnesota to assist you in your case does not mean you are looking for conflict. On the contrary, having the assistance of a skilled practitioner is essential for reaching a cooperative resolution to your family law matter. We have experience in negotiating complex cases, which meet the short-term and long-term goals of the parties.
When cooperation cannot be achieved, you need a skilled litigator on your side. We have experience litigating almost every type of family law matter before the court. As with all our cases, we work closely with you to develop a plan tailored to you and your family’s needs. Your plan includes an ongoing analysis of the financial cost and projected benefits, so you have the tools to make sound financial decisions while achieving your goals.
Get in touch with our team of skilled and experienced family lawyers in Minnesota today. Visit our contact page. You can also call us at 651-505-2655.
We Are Highly-Rated Family Law Attorneys You Can Rely On
Messick Law, PLLC’s experienced and dedicated family law lawyers serve clients across Minnesota. We’ll help you make sound decisions to meet your goals.
Families are among the most important and intimate relationships you can form. However, this also makes them some of the most complicated to maintain and change. Family law exists to help govern these relationships, whether it’s ending them or altering them in a meaningful way. Without the help of an experienced litigator to guide you, these proceedings can be grueling.
Attorney Jacquelyn Lutz Is On Your Side
Jacquelyn is a top-rated attorney focusing her practice exclusively in family law. She represents fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, grandparents and other stakeholders in family law cases. Jacquelyn is dedicated to counseling her clients through the deeply personal – and often complex – issues involved in family practice. She is solution-focused rather than problem-oriented and works closely with her clients to develop creative resolutions that fit their unique family situations. As a family lawyer in Minnesota, Jacquelyn has been selected as Rising Star by Super Lawyers since 2019.
Family Law Cases We Handle
If you are dealing with any of the following facets of family law, don’t worry. As family lawyers in Minnesota, we have a wealth of experience in providing solutions to all of them and more, all while making sure we are always taking extra care with these delicate matters.
Divorce
Dissolution of marriage can be complex, especially when a divorce involves the ownership of assets or involves a request for spousal maintenance (alimony). Often, parties attempt to proceed without an attorney. Doing so can result in unintended personal and financial hardships now and in the future. You need the services of an experienced family law attorney in every divorce to ensure your rights are protected.
Child Custody And Parenting Time
The care and custody of children is the most important issue in family law. It can also be the most contentious. An experienced family law attorney is necessary to support and guide you from the beginning of your case to the end.
Child Support
Support of minor children is mandatory in Minnesota. While the statutes lay out a guideline for support amounts, there are many factors that must be considered in establishing or modifying support. Messick law has extensive experience in the establishment and modification of support orders.
Adoption
Adopting a child is one of the bravest and most selfless things a person can do, but it is a very technical process. Messick Law, PLLC can help make this process easier by guiding you through each step of the way.
Orders For Protection
Messick Law, PLLC has experience both initiating and defending against orders for protection, in both the district court and at the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
Other Scenarios:
- Divorces involving businesses, farms and significant assets
- Divorces for marriages of all durations
- Cooperative divorces including joint petitions and stipulations
- Private termination of parental rights
- Third-party custody
- Establishment and modification of parenting time
- Reduction or elimination of parenting time
- Establishment and modification of spousal maintenance (alimony)
- Reduction or elimination of spousal maintenance
Divorce In Minnesota: What You Need to Know
How long does it take to get divorced in Minnesota?
In order for the court to have jurisdiction, Minnesota law requires that one of the parties has lived in Minnesota for longer than 180 days. But there is no mandatory waiting period or required separation in Minnesota.
Each divorce is unique. If both parties can agree on how to resolve the various issues, the divorce process can go more quickly. If the parties disagree and have to go to trial, the divorce will take a lot longer. A divorce matter that goes to trial can take a year or more.
Does it matter who files the divorce?
No. Minnesota is a no-fault divorce state, which means that neither party has to prove that the other did something wrong in order to get a divorce. In other words, it doesn’t matter who files for divorce. Once a party files a divorce petition, this person becomes the petitioner in the divorce. The other person is the respondent and has 30 days to file an answer. If the respondent fails to reply within 30 days, they give up their rights to have a say in the divorce proceedings.
What if my spouse doesn’t want a divorce, do we have to agree?
No. In Minnesota, one party can ask for a divorce without the consent or agreement of the other. Because Minnesota is a no-fault divorce state, the person who is asking for the divorce just has to show that there was an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage relationship.
What is spousal maintenance? Will I be able to get it or will I have to pay it?
Spousal maintenance is also known as alimony and is financial support for one spouse, paid by the other. There is no specific formula to determine spousal maintenance in Minnesota. Instead, the court will consider several factors to determine if spousal maintenance is appropriate, such as:
- The financial resources of the parties
- The educational levels of the parties
- The future earning capacity of the party seeking maintenance
- The standard of living established during the marriage
- The duration of the marriage
- The age, physical and emotional condition of the party seeking maintenance
- The ability of the spouse to provide maintenance
Spousal maintenance is not a guarantee. The court will take all of the financial circumstances of the parties into consideration to determine spousal maintenance.
How much does it cost to get divorced?
There is no way to predict how much it will cost to get divorced. Ultimately, the answer will depend on how easily the parties agree to resolve the legal issues. If the parties can utilize alternate forms of dispute resolution (like mediation) to settle their issues out of court, they can avoid the lengthy (and expensive) process of going to trial. Hiring a lawyer skilled in negotiation techniques can help keep costs and expenses down.
Talk To A Skilled Family Law Advocate Today
Messick Law, PLLC represents clients across Minnesota on every family law matter. We have the experience and resources to litigate your case in court or advocate for you during complex negotiations. Through a systematic approach, we develop a plan that maximizes opportunities for favorable outcomes. Call us at 651-505-2655.