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Alaska Family Law



Frequently Asked Questions about Alaska Family Law

What is Alaska family law?

The state government’s involvement in the life of the typical family is described in the category of law deemed Alaska family law. Most aspects of Alaska family law involve the protection of children, but the most popular area has to do with establishing who belongs to a family, i.e. who is married or divorced.

It is easy to find an Alaska family lawyer given the popularity of the field, but such an attorney must have a very diverse background. Since Alaska family law contains criminal matters, civil matters, and even probate matters, a true attorney in the field will be a consummate expert across the whole legal spectrum.

What different areas of Alaska family law exist?

Since Alaska family law is such a wide-ranging field, the best way to understand its dimensions might be to look at some of the specific areas of practice which it contains. For example, all of the following, any many more, are considered aspects of Alaska family law:

• Divorce: It is easy to understand the need of divorce attorneys. Not only is this perhaps the field of law an individual is most likely to get involved in, but divorce is also incredibly difficult and involved. A contested divorce involves discussions concerning the division of both property and debt as well as a parenting plan and child support. And that’s not even mentioning the possibility of alimony, an always contentious subject. That said, even uncontested divorce can be an important area of concern, since it will still require numerous complicated legal forms and an appearance before a judge.

• Support Orders: The problem with support orders is that they don’t necessarily reflect a change of circumstances. Let’s say you’ve lost your $100,000 a year job and were forced to take a new one for $50,000 a year. The support order won’t automatically decrease, even if it’s simply impossible for you to provide to the standard that you did before. That’s why support order petitions are one of the most important types of Alaska family law actions.

• Parenting Plans: Just like with support orders, parenting plans don’t adjust automatically to a change in circumstances. The most common reason for a parenting plan to change is that one parent has moved out of state, thus making weekday visits or possibly every-other-weekend visits impractical.

• Domestic Violence: Alaska family law offers significant means for victims of domestic violence to protect themselves. First, a temporary order of protection can be obtained, which will take effect as soon as the abuser is notified of it. Of course, Alaska family law also allows for abusers to be tried in court in both civil and criminal courts.

• Guardianships and Conservatorships: These makes it possible for individuals who are not of able mind to have their healthcare or financial decisions made by a loved one who can act with their best interests at heart. Becoming a guardian or conservator will require proving that such a position is needed, and no reasonable conflict of interest in appointing this particular figure exists.

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