A Dependable Family Lawyer
For many years, the Melbourne, Florida family law lawyers at the Law Offices of Arcadier, Biggie & Wood, as been assisting clients in obtaining favorable results for their family law matter. We remain firm in our desire, and strong ability, to protect the rights of individuals and families. Guided by our reputation, we are known as being a family law firm that gets results. No matter what your situation may be, or how many other lawyers have turned you away, we want to listen to your legal matter. Rest assured, we will take the time to understand your needs and give you an honest opinion of your case. For a free and confidential consultation with a family law lawyer in Melbourne, FL, call Law Offices of Arcadier, Biggie & Wood today.
Why You Might Need a Family Lawyer
Family lawyers are not the same as a general lawyer who might cover a broad range of practice areas, but does not specialize in one specific area of the law. When you find yourself in a legal situation involving your family, you should not consider any other type of family law lawyer in Melbourne, FL other than a family lawyer.
Family Law is an area of the law that deals with family-related issues and domestic relations including, but not limited to:
- The nature of marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships.
- Issues arising during marriage, including spousal abuse, legitimacy, adoption, surrogacy, child abuse, and child abduction.
- The termination of the relationship and ancillary matters including divorce, annulment, property settlements, alimony, and parental responsibility orders.
Our law firm, Arcadier, Biggie & Wood, PLLC, can guide you through the complicated and delicate issues of family law.
Our attorneys’ counseling includes, but is not limited to:
- Adoptions
- Alternate Dispute Resolution
- Child custody and time-sharing issues
- Child support
- Cohabitation agreements
- Equitable distribution including asset and debt distribution
- Marital dissolutions / divorces
- Name changes
- Negotiation of separation agreements
- Nuptial Agreements
- Prenuptial agreements
- Spousal support and alimony
To understand your rights when a family law need arises, you should seek the advice of an experienced attorney or law firm that has the dedication to aggressively represent your interests. Because Florida laws are specific to family law issues that arise in Florida, it is important to seek the advice of an attorney who practices law in Florida. Additionally, because family law trial practice is also different from County to County, you should seek advice or assistance from attorneys and trial lawyers who dedicate their practice in the County where the family law issue arises. Arcadier, Biggie & Wood, PLLC is a local firm in Brevard County, Melbourne, Florida. Our law firm can guide you through the process of personal injury matters, especially those that occur within the Jurisdiction of Central Florida, Brevard County, and its municipalities, such as Melbourne, Viera, Palm Bay, and Cocoa Beach.
Our Practice Areas
We are a full-service family law firm and offer the following services:
- Contested and uncontested divorce
- Legal separation
- Spousal support/alimony
- Child support
- Child custody
- Father’s rights
- Grandparents rights
- Enforcement of orders
- Modification of orders
- Guardianship
- Emancipation
- Adoption
- Abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
- Paternity
- Personal protection order against a spouse or partner
- LGBTQ matters
- Appeals
- Relocation
- Hidden assets
- Abduction
- + More
If you would like to discuss your case with a family law lawyer in Melbourne, FL, please call our firm today.
Considerations When Choosing a Family Lawyer
Not all law firms are created equal. The family lawyer you choose could not only make a difference in the outcome of your case, but also could impact your life and the life of those you care most about. Before choosing a lawyer, you should take time to evaluate their firm and abilities. You may want to consider:
- The firms’ experience
- Whether they have handled similar cases
- Their legal qualifications and licensure
- The cost of their legal services
- Their reputation
If you are looking for a respected family lawyer in the Melbourne area, call Law Offices of Arcadier, Biggie & Wood. You’ll have the opportunity to discuss your situation, questions and concerns, and get to know our lawyers better. Call a family law lawyer in Melbourne, FL now.
Stepparent Adoption
There are many ways to grow a family. Many couples give birth to biological children, while others choose to adopt children, either from adoption agencies or foster care systems. Some of these adoptions take place through private adoptions and internationally. One way that a family law lawyer in Melbourne, FL assists clients with is stepparent adoption. This can occur when a couple marries, and one spouse has a biological child that the other spouse becomes their legal parent through adoption.
In the eyes of the law, a child can only two legal parents. While many children have stepparents, the stepparents do not have the rights that a legal parent has. For example, if the parent and stepparent divorce, the stepparent has no legal rights to custody or visitation, regardless of how close a relationship the child and stepparent may have.
There are several different scenarios where it is in the best interest of the child if the stepparent adopts them, however, the adoption can only take place if the biological parent has either voluntarily given up their parental rights or the courts have terminated those rights.
If the biological parent consents to giving up their parental rights, the stepparent adoption process should be a fairly easy one. A Melbourne, FL family law lawyer can explain that if the biological parent does give up their parental rights, they will no longer be responsible for child support for the child or any other legal responsibilities.
If the biological parent refuses to sign away their parental rights and allow the adoption to proceed, then the court will likely conduct an investigation to determine if their parental rights should be terminated and the stepparent should be allowed to adopt the child. For example, if the biological parent has displayed any of the following, the court could terminate their rights:
- Abandoned the child
- Abused the child
- Failure to provide financially for the child
- Neglected the child’s care
- Put the child’s safety in jeopardy
- Suffers from an alcohol and/or substance abuse addiction
If the child is old enough (14 years or older) and wishes to be adopted by the stepparent, this court will strongly consider their wishes.
Unless the adoption is being challenged by the biological parent, stepparent adoptions can proceed very quickly since there are not the same requirements for these adoptions like there are for other types of adoptions, such as a background investigation for the stepparent or a home study.
Call a Melbourne, FL family law lawyer Today
If you would like to learn more about stepparent adoption, or any other family law issues, call the Law Offices of Arcadier, Biggie & Wood to meet with a skilled family law lawyer Melbourne, FL parents recommend.
