To be The Family Law Attorney serving the Rochester and Southeastern Minnesota community that You Can Count On to provide the advice and guidance that will meet your legal needs and serve the best interest of your family.
To be child focused in all divorce, paternity and third party custody, parenting time, and child support matters. The advice we can give you when your case begins can make a significant difference to your children. We strive to provide guidance that goes beyond the ordinary when assisting clients in all matters involving their assets and finances. We care enough to explain the difference between an equitable settlement and one that serves not only your immediate, but your long term, financial needs. The decisions you make will determine whether you settle or proceed to trial. With over 35 years of service, and extensive settlement and trial experience we can truly make a difference.
To provide cost effective and efficient legal services that will give you the ability to favorably resolve your case. Without proper legal advice a divorce, a custody matter, an alimony/spousal maintenance case, and child support issues can seem emotionally overwhelming and financially devastating. A well informed client can significantly affect the cost and outcome of their legal matter. We can help you communicate effectively, whether it is with the other party, a mediator, an early neutral evaluator, or the Court. We can guide the steps you make by enabling you to take those steps without the confusion and uncertainty that can often come from not having an experienced Family Law Attorney.
We can help you with step-parent, agency and relative adoptions. We regularly advise extended family members who may be currently parenting, or considering parenting, a child whose parents are no longer able to do so. Adoption is an option that you should be familiar with, as well as knowing what the other options are.
Minnesota has guidelines that calculate the four child support related obligations. We can help you understand your rights, your potential obligations, and offer creative planning when parents decide to raise their children by having an equal time sharing arrangement. There are a number of creative solutions that you should know about and consider before proceeding with your case.
Legal custody and physical custody determinations significantly affect your children. What your children experience in their childhood can have a significant impact upon their future. We can help you make intelligent child focused decisions and effectively advocate for you when mutual decision making is impossible.
When a county takes action to protect an abused or neglected child, it initiates a legal action known as “Child In Need of Protective Services” or “Termination of Parental Rights Petition.” The goal is to provide services to the family to rehabilitate them, or to find a permanent home for a child whose parents are not able to rehabilitate within the timeline establishedby law. The county and the Court must find a permanent home for the child at the same time that it provides a rehabilitation plan for the family. My service on the Children’s Justice Initiative, my representation of Guardians Ad Litem, and my services as a Guardian Ad Litem has given me extensive knowledge about these proceedings and how to assist clients in advocating for the permanent best interest of the child.
A divorce involves determining the schedule you will have for your children, how your financial assets and debt will be divided, and how your income will be distributed in the future. Understanding what at first can seem to be complicated and emotional issues from the outset of your case will better enable you to have a favorable outcome. Let us offer you our over 35 years of experience in and out of the courtroom handling the most complex to the simplest cases. If you are considering mediation, or if you hope to resolve your case on your own, please be aware that the guidance of an experienced divorce attorney can make a difference and need not drain you of your resources; in fact it may just protect them. A little good advice can go a long way.
NO FEE Initial Dissolution Consultation with NO OBLIGATION
A separate legal action can be brought with the purpose of protecting an individual from harm by another. We have frequently represented victims of domestic abuse. We also have extensive experience in helping individuals who have had an emergency Order for Protection issued against them. Since the Orders can affect occupancy of your home, contact with your children, and affect a future divorce, experienced legal advice is important.
Grandparents often are raising their grandchildren yet they do not have the authority to make educational, medical, and religious decisions until their rights are established under the law. We can help grandparents legally establish the children’s permanent home with the grandparents, and help grandparents who are seeking visitation rights with their grandchildren.
When someone is no longer able to manage their personal or financial affairs the Court may establish a guardianship or conservatorship over that person. We have been involved in all aspects of such matters and can also help you determine whether this is the best option when dealing with an elderly person or an impaired minor.
When preparing a Will or Power of Attorney, you should also consider preparing a Health Care Directive. Once prepared it becomes an important part of your medical records. You are not required to have a Health Care Directive and you do not need a lawyer to prepare one, but it is the best way to be sure your health care wishes are followed. A Health Care Directive can also appoint a person ("agent") to make health care decisions for you when you are unable to decide or speak for yourself. It can direct burial or cremation and state whether you wish to donate your body parts at the time of death or it can give your agent permission to decide for you. If you are assisting an elder get their affairs in order, we can help reduce the worry that comes for inadequate planning.
A legal separation determines the rights and responsibilities of both husband and wife arising out of the marital relationship, it does not terminate the marriage like a divorce does. You are still married. If you do not wish to remarry and desire to maintain health insurance coverage at the same cost, a legal separation may be an option. A legal separation does not protect either spouse from medical assistance reimbursement obligations.
The schedule you establish for your children impacts their daily lives. We can help you understand your rights and obligations as a parent, protect your children from emotional harm often caused by parental conflicts, and strongly advocate for you when the other parent’s time should be restricted.
Paternity (determining the birth father) is normally established at the time of the child’s birth. Birth mothers have rights at birth that birth fathers do not have. We can help single mothers and single fathers advance and protect their legal right to their children.
Often conflict arises after a divorce or one party fails to comply with what was ordered. We can explain your rights to modify an existing Court Order or enforce one that is not being followed. It is important to consider modifying any Court Order that is no longer being followed by the parties no matter the reason.
Post-Nuptial (after marriage) Agreements are entered into by parties who are already married. To be valid a Post-Nuptial Agreement, like a Pre-Nuptial Agreement, must comply with the specifics of Minnesota Law. It is used to modify an existing Pre-Nuptial Agreement or to deal with changes, financial or otherwise, that occur after marriage.
Paternity is often established at birth through a Recognition of Paternity. When unmarried parties end their relationship it is important to get help establishing custody, parenting time, and child support.
A Power of Attorney is a legal document authorizing a person or persons to act for you. It is only affective while you are living, but can give authority to act should you become unable to act on your own behalf. These documents are often prepared at the same time as a Will and a Health Care Directive. It is always wise to plan for the future before it is too late to do so.
Antenuptial (premarital) Agreements are legal contracts entered into by prospective spouses prior to marriage. If you are planning to get married, an Antenuptial Agreement can be a very valuable document, even if it is only used to document the property you each own and debts you each owe prior to your marriage. The Agreement can, but does not have to, determine your rights and obligations regarding your future spouse’s pre-existing property and debt. The Agreement can determine your rights should you later get divorced. It can also determine your property rights at the time of the death of your spouse. Many people marry already having children from a prior relationship. An Antenuptial Agreement can help you have a clear understanding with your future spouse about how your property is to pass to your children. Antenuptial Agreements are not enemies of marriage, misunderstanding and untruthfulness are.
We have represented many grandparents, extended family members, and others who are going to be, or would like to be, raising the children born to others. You should know your options and how to best work with social service case workers, Guardians Ad Litem, adoption case workers, and the legal system to achieve an outcome that give children the best opportunity for a healthy, happy, and successful life.
If you are a Minnesota resident, having an experienced Minnesota attorney prepare your Will is important. Having a properly prepared Will can avoid expensive disputes that can occur following a loved one’s death. In the event of the untimely death of a parent with children, your Will can assure that your children’s needs are met and can delay a child’s receipt of assets until they have completed their education or are mature enough to handle the responsibility. Let us explain why preparing a Will can give you peace of mind about what will happen to your children and your assets.
