Types of Family Law Cases We Handle
Focus on helping people navigate their divorce or child custody issues with confidence and care.
What Does a Miami Family Law Attorney Do?
Founder, Owner & Attorney
When family-related legal issues arise, a Miami family lawyer can provide the guidance and expertise you need to ensure your rights are protected. At Vasquez de Lara Law Group, our team helps clients navigate a wide range of family law matters, including the following:
Divorce
We guide clients through all four types of divorce:
- Simplified
- Uncontested
- Collaborative
- Contested
You may be navigating a straightforward, uncontested divorce or facing the added complexities of a high-net-worth divorce or contested case. Whatever the circumstance, our divorce attorneys can guide you through the process and, when needed, help you and your spouse reach common ground through mediation.
Child custody and child support
Our family law attorneys in Miami can help you understand your rights while protecting your children’s best interests. We can assist with:
- Establishing or modifying child custody arrangements
- Determining child support and addressing any changes or disputes
- Creating practical child visitation schedules
- Guiding you through establishing paternity and understanding the rights and responsibilities that follow
Alimony
If alimony or property division becomes part of your divorce conversations, a Miami family lawyer can also help you understand your options, whether you’re seeking or may be required to pay alimony or need to divide your assets.
Prenups and postnups
Whether you’re engaged or already married, a Miami family lawyer can help you understand, negotiate, and prepare a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement covering assets, such as business interests or family inheritances, debts, and financial support. We can also review existing agreements and help negotiate clear, thoughtful terms that reflect your and your spouse’s interests.
Post-judgment modification
Life can change after a divorce, sometimes necessitating alterations to child visitation terms or financial support obligations. A Miami family lawyer can help you determine whether a post-judgment modification may be appropriate and, if it is, guide you through the process of seeking updated terms.
Litigation in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties
If a family law dispute arises and can’t be resolved through negotiation, a Miami family lawyer can also represent you through litigation, if needed. This could include:
- Filing a divorce petition
- Compelling both you and your spouse to provide financial disclosures
- Issuing subpoenas, if necessary, if your spouse doesn’t produce requested records
- Establishing temporary arrangements, such as alimony or child support, while your case is still pending
- Taking depositions, gathering additional information, and negotiating with the other side as needed
- Representing you in court at hearings and, if necessary, at trial
At Vasquez de Lara Law Group, our team has over two decades of experience as family law attorneys in Miami-Dade. While we don’t handle adoptions or estate planning, we provide a wide range of family law services designed to help you understand your rights and what’s in your best legal and financial interest.
If you need guidance on anything from negotiating a prenup to navigating a contested divorce, schedule a free case evaluation today to find out your options.
Below, we’ll provide more helpful information on hiring a family law attorney in Miami and answer some of the questions we hear most often.
When Should I Hire a Family Law Attorney?
It’s best not to wait until papers are filed — or a crisis arises — to get legal assistance. You’ll likely want to get in touch with a Miami family law attorney if:
- You’re considering divorce and want to understand what the divorce process could look like before you take legal action.
- Your spouse has already filed or plans to file soon — which means you’ll only have 20 days to review the petition and prepare your response.
- You’re thinking about establishing or challenging paternity.
- You need help understanding your full financial picture going into a divorce.
- You have children and expect changes to your family’s routine during a divorce or separation.
- You have questions about alimony or support.
- You’re considering a prenup or postnup.
- You need to modify or enforce an existing family court order.
- You need help negotiating with your spouse or co-parent during the divorce process.
How Much Does a Family Law Attorney Charge in Florida?
How much a family law attorney will charge in Florida entirely depends on both your specific circumstances and the firm you choose to work with. Family law has two basic billing types: flat fee and hourly.
Flat-fee billing
A flat-fee divorce means your attorney will handle everything involved in your divorce for one price. This is most common in uncontested cases, where all the meetings, tasks, and final proceedings are fairly standard and predictable.
Hourly billing
Hourly billing is most common when several variables are at play and the amount of work required is unclear from the start. Unsurprisingly, most divorce cases are billed hourly because of this — the total time and work required is difficult to gauge when you’re working through depositions, hearings, negotiations, updates, and meetings to prepare for court.
Within a firm, the hourly rate itself usually depends on who is doing the actual work — the more senior the team member, the higher the rate.
At Vasquez de Lara, your initial case evaluation with our intake team is completely free, and an hour-long consultation with one of our attorneys is a $300 flat fee. From there, once we understand the basic facts of your case and what it may involve, we can give you a clearer idea of the potential fees. If you’re in need of family law support, schedule a free case evaluation today to see how we can help.
Can a Family Law Attorney Help After My Divorce Is Finalized?
A family law attorney can help after your divorce is finalized through what’s called post-judgment legal work. This generally falls into two categories: modification or enforcement. Some situations may involve both.
Modification
A modification asks the court to change an existing order going forward. A family law attorney can help you seek changes to an existing order — but usually only if circumstances have substantially and permanently changed.
A modification could mean changes to:
- The parenting plan
- Timesharing terms
- Child support
- Alimony
A modification could also include more specific changes, like where your children go to school or who makes medical decisions. Remember, to make changes, there must be legal grounds to do so.
Enforcement
Enforcement addresses situations where someone isn’t following their existing court order as written.
This might cover things like:
- Timesharing compliance
- Decision-making authority
- Making support payments in full and on time
As with modification, an attorney can help you if there’s evidence showing a clear violation of an existing order. In this situation, we would need to establish that the violation occurred, explain what we’re asking the court to do in response, and demonstrate why the requested action is justified.
It’s also important to distinguish enforcement from contempt. Contempt generally requires showing that the other party had the ability to comply with the order but willfully and intentionally chose not to do so. Enforcement, on the other hand, simply addresses a failure to comply — it may not have been willful or intentional.
Another important note: You can’t use one violation as a reason to violate another part of the order. For example, you can’t stop paying child support or alimony because you were denied timesharing, and you can’t withhold timesharing because support wasn’t paid. Doing so could expose you to an enforcement or contempt action of your own.
Is It Worth It To Get a Family Lawyer?
Even when a family law matter seems straightforward — such as an uncontested divorce — it can be helpful to have an experienced family lawyer by your side. In Florida, even the most straightforward family law matters must follow a formal court process. A lawyer can help you understand what to expect, make sure everything is handled correctly, and advocate for your interests throughout the process.
The better question often isn’t whether or not you need a lawyer, but what you may gain by having the right legal support from the beginning. Hiring a family lawyer can help you:
- Protect your financial interests and ensure you receive the assets and benefits you’re legally entitled to.
- Protect your time with your children.
- Keep your case moving forward by avoiding mistakes that could otherwise delay the process.
- Make informed decisions about your assets.
Perhaps most importantly, having a lawyer can help you get things right the first time. Some decisions in a divorce — particularly those involving the division of assets — can be extremely difficult or even impossible to undo once a divorce is final. For instance, you can’t simply go back later and ask for a different share of the house or retirement benefits.
Family Law Resources
Trusted Guidance for Your Family Law Case in Miami
You don’t have to navigate a family law matter alone. Whether you have questions about a prenup, need help filing for divorce, or are facing litigation in Miami-Dade or Broward County, Vasquez de Lara Law Group is here to help. Our experienced family lawyers in Miami, FL have guided thousands of families through this process.
The first step is a free case evaluation to help you understand your options. Fill out the online form or give us a call to get started. Hablamos Español.
This page has been reviewed for legal accuracy by Vanessa Vasquez de Lara, Esq.
