Colin D. McFall, Attorney at Law

Family Law

Divorce / Annulment • Adjudication of Parentage • Grandparents Rights • Child Protective Services

If you or your spouse has determined that divorce is the only option, we can help you through this painful process.

Dissolution of Marriage:
Whether you were ceremonially married or have a common law marriage, the State requires a formal divorce to end the marital relationship.  We can guide you through the maze of issues.

Children:
Children often become the point of contention between spouses engaged in a hotly contested divorce.  We can keep your focus on the primary concern of the Judge: The best interest of the child.

Access and Possession:
As a Primary Joint Managing Conservator, the child primarily resides with you.  However, if the Court names your spouse the Primary Joint Managing Conservator, the law is very specific, under most circumstances, about how much time you are entitled to spend with your child. We will assure that you understand every aspect of the Access and Possession Order.

Child Support:
Whether you are paying support or receiving support, this will have a direct impact on your finances.  Support generally terminates at eighteen, but could go longer, or even continue for the life of the child.  Support also needs to be frequently adjusted, to stay comparable with an ever changing income.  We will ensure that you receive every consideration.

Conservatorship:
You need an experienced, aggressive attorney that will fight to preserve your rights as a Joint Managing Conservator.  You could lose the majority of these rights (to be informed of significant events in the life of your child) if the Court names you a Possessory Conservator.

Division of Property:
Dividing the bounty of a marriage can be difficult.  An often overlooked aspect of the marriage is the division of debt.  The Court has great latitude in making a just and equitable division of the marital estate. You need a lawyer that not only asserts the law, but also includes an equitable argument tailored to your particular situation.

Adjudication of Parentage
Nothing is more dangerous than an informal agreement between unmarried parents of the same child.  Nothing prevents one parent from taking the child and absconding to an undisclosed location. Legally establish you identity as a parent and maintain the capacity to enforce visitation.

Grandparents Rights
More and more Grandparents are stepping in and assisting in the rearing of their children’s children.  Whether you are raising the grandchild full time, or just want access to the grandchild, you need our assistance.  Grandparents have very little formal rights to grandchildren.  However, we can help you overcome the “parental presumption” and legally establish your rights.

Child Protective Services
If Child Protective Services (CPS) contacts you, call our office immediately!  Never speak to CPS or enter into any agreement or “service plan” without the advice of counsel.  Whether you are the parent CPS is investigating or the family member CPS is asking to take possession of the child, do not trust CPS with your rights.  You will wish you took this advice when you find yourself in front of a jury, fighting to keep your relationship with your children intact.