Divorce & Legal Separation

At Campbell Miller Law we take a holistic approach to divorce and family law to help you make informed decisions that consider your legal rights and obligations while maintaining your financial and emotional well-being. When family dynamics change or disputes arise, Caroline Campbell can help you navigate the situation to reach a resolution that meets your unique needs. Whether you are faced with issues related to divorce, child custody and support, or you need to prepare for marriage with a prenuptial agreement, we can help you achieve your goals and understand and protect your legal rights.

Campbell Miller Law has experience with a wide range of divorce and family law matters, including but not limited to:

• Divorce, Legal Separation, Dissolution of Domestic Partnership, and Invalidity of Marriage (Annulment)
• Property and Debt Division, including real estate, retirement, and business interests
• Qualified Domestic Relations Orders
• Prenuptial, Postnuptial, Cohabitation, and Separation Agreements
• Spousal Maintenance (Alimony)
• Child Support and Parenting Plan, including modifications
• Committed Intimate Relationships (often thought of as “common law marriage”)
• Quitclaim Deed and Real Estate Excise Tax Affidavit

Grieving the death of a marriage is one of the hardest things a person can go through. Divorce and legal separation can be an emotional rollercoaster that presents a myriad of hopes and fears concerning the law, financial security, and parenting issues. Many people feel overwhelmed and do not know where to begin, what is fair, and what the legal process entails. 

Preparing for Your Divorce Consultation

When you are faced with divorce or legal separation, whether or not it is your decision to end the marriage, knowledge is a powerful tool that helps you feel more grounded and secure. Caroline helps her clients understand the necessary steps to complete their divorce or legal separation. Caroline guides her divorce and legal separation clients to a just and equitable outcome concerning property and debt division, spousal support, and child custody and support by educating them about the law so they can make informed decisions.

At an initial consultation, Caroline will ensure you understand your divorce and legal separation process options from the do-it-yourself table to the courtroom, the legal standards for property and debt division, whether child or spousal support is appropriate, and will help you set appropriate expectations for reasonable results. 

To prepare for an initial consultation, we recommend you do the following:

1. Prepare Your Balance Sheet: this is a list of all the assets and debts owned by each spouse, including real estate, retirement assets, financial investments, stocks, and all vehicles. The fair market value of each asset should be listed, as well as the balance of any debts. With respect to real estate, fair market value is the price you would sell the property for, which could be a recent appraisal or market analysis.  
    
2. Gather Income Information: To facilitate a conversation about support, whether child or spousal support, we need to review each person’s income information. It may be helpful to provide current pay stubs or a recent W-2 or tax return. Even if you and your spouse agree to no child support, the law still requires you to divulge your income information and a Child Support Order with Child Support Worksheets are required to be filed with the court.
    
3. Write Down Your Questions: We will review a lot of information in our first meeting, so if you have specific questions you want answered, we recommend that you make a written list of your questions in advance.

Divorce and Family Law Process Options

The approach you take to your divorce or family law matter significantly impacts how your case will proceed for you and your family both financially and emotionally. We no longer represent clients in contested court proceedings such as hearings and trials. At Campbell Miller Law we help people make informed decisions and manage the expense of their divorce or family law matter through the following process options:

• Uncontested Family Law and Divorce
• Cooperative or Non-Adversarial Representation
• Collaborative Law
• Mediation
• Unbundled Legal Services

Uncontested Divorce and Family Law Matters

We offer flat fees for legal representation in divorce and family law matters that include attorney consultation time. With this approach, you control the cost and outcome of your case. We help you gain knowledge and answer your questions so you can make informed decisions and reduce stress by reaching complete and final agreements. Once you and your spouse or partner reach a final and complete agreement, we draft all the necessary paperwork and handle filing it with the court.

Cooperative or Non-Adversarial Representation

The end of a relationship does not have to be an expensive courtroom fight. We help clients make the best out of a challenging time in their life by emphasizing cooperation and respectful resolution of divorce and family law issues. Our non-litigation approach promotes respectful resolution of legal issues, including property and debt division, spousal maintenance, and child custody and support. Resolving legal issues amicably significantly reduces stress and expense. We work with people who can make informed decisions in good faith, rather than resorting to litigation to force people to do the right thing.

Collaborative Law

Collaborative Law is a private and confidential formal legal process where you, your spouse, and your collaborative lawyers and neutral experts work as a team to resolve disputes without going to court. Collaborative Law emphasizes cooperation and reducing and resolving conflict and gives both you and your spouse greater control over the outcome of your case. You and your spouse maintain an open dialogue with your collaboratively-trained attorneys, and other professionals, as needed, to reach lasting agreements that result in the best outcome for yourselves and your family.

Resolution through collaborative law is usually less expensive and quicker than traditional litigation, and you maintain control over the outcome of your case instead of a judge deciding what is best for you and your family. Durable, equitable settlement agreements, and child-centered parenting agreements are reached through an interest-based negotiation process. You and your spouse apply your own values when making decisions after collaborative attorneys explain legal standards.

Separation Contract

Change is the only constant in life, and sometimes relationship dynamics change, and couples decide that it is best to live separately. A separation contract, or separation agreement, allows the parties to divide property and debts, provide for spousal maintenance, and make agreements for the parenting and support of children. A separation contract can be the basis for a divorce or legal separation and enforceable by the court, or it can remain a private document if the parties decide to remain married.

Mediation

Mediation is a cost-effective option for people who are willing to have an open dialogue with each other but need assistance resolving issues to reach an agreement. As your mediator, we act as a neutral facilitator to help identify and resolve issues. During mediation, we serve as a neutral facilitator and work with you and your spouse, or co-parent, to reach a settlement of all issues in your case. While we do not represent either person, we rely on our experience to help guide you and the other party through issues such as property and debt division, child custody and support, and spousal maintenance. In mediation, the parties control the agreements and outcomes, rather than resorting to court intervention.

Pay As You Go Legal Services

With our pay as you go legal services, you only pay for the time you need to have your questions answered and get the help you need. There is no up-front attorney retainer payment, so you have control over your legal expenses.

We provide consultations to educate you about your legal rights and obligations and help you gather information so you can make informed decisions. Campbell Miller Law can prepare documents for you, such as a Quitclaim Deed and Real Estate Excise Tax Affidavit. You can represent yourself (called pro se), and we can review documents for you to give you the peace of mind of knowing that the documents are correct and complete.