Saskatoon Family Lawyers Guiding Clients Through Complex Family Law Issues

Going through issues within your family can bring a lot of intense emotions to the surface, especially when it means you are saying goodbye to someone you loved for years. While you may be tempted to keep sensitive family problems to yourself in the name of privacy, it’s typically better to hire a family law lawyer to help you with the legal aspects of the situation.

You can get the legal advice and caring attitude you deserve when you reach out to Panko Collaborative Law & Mediation. Our family lawyers in Saskatoon have handled a wide variety of family law cases for clients looking for ways to improve their situation. Whether you are going through a divorce or separation in Saskatoon, we can provide the legal guidance you need when dealing with parenting arrangements.

What Are Examples of Family Law Issues?

In our experience, divorces can become rather complicated very quickly, especially if there are children or major assets involved. That’s why you need a team of Saskatoon family lawyers on your side from start to finish. At Panko Collaborative Law & Mediation, we regularly take on these family legal matters and more:

• Parenting arrangements
• Child support
• Spousal support
• Property division
• Prenuptial and Cohabitation agreements
• Separation agreements (known as Interspousal Contracts)

Whether you need some guidance making parenting arrangements for minor children or have questions about who gets which assets and debts in the divorce, we’re here to assist you. Our goal is to settle every family law case out of court through mediation or collaborative law, so we encourage you to come to our Saskatoon law offices if you want to legally separate from your spouse with as little conflict as possible.

What Is Mediation?

Mediation has always been encouraged for couples to try whenever possible, but due to recent changes in Canadian law, it is now one of the tools you’re expected to use before you can get a divorce. If you’re not familiar with mediation, it can be intimidating to think about, but it’s actually among the most peaceful, helpful ways to work out family law matters during the divorce process. The mediator’s job is not to choose sides or decide on how to proceed with your divorce, but to help you and your spouse come to an agreement that may work for both of you.

Mediation for Family Law

Your first step is to choose a mediator, who is a neutral third party to help you agree on family law issues. Next, you will have a consultation with the mediator to go over the family law matters you need to resolve, such as which assets you want and the parenting arrangements you believe would be best for your children.

Your spouse will have their consultation with the mediator, and after that, you will both go to a joint mediation session together. At that point, the goal is to reach a compromise on major decisions so you can work toward finalizing the divorce. Keep in mind that if having a joint mediation session would be unsafe or traumatic, such as if you’ve experienced domestic violence during the marriage, your Saskatoon family lawyers will consider whether mediation is the right choice for you. It can still work for many couples, especially if the mediator is aware of the specific issue and is trauma informed, but your lawyers will advise you of alternative options if necessary.

In general, mediation is preferable to ending up in a courtroom during divorce for a few reasons. The first one is that you save time and money if you can come to an agreement within a few mediation sessions, which many people do. Also, mediation allows you and your spouse to make parenting decisions for your children instead of leaving it to a judge to make them. You and your spouse know and love your children better than anyone and are more likely to make choices that are right for your family when it comes to parenting arrangements, guardianship, and more. If you are ready to look into what mediation can do for you, come talk to Panko Collaborative Law & Mediation family lawyers in Saskatoon to learn more.

What Factors Can Complicate Divorce in Canada?

If you and your spouse agree on the fact that you should no longer be together and are eager to go your separate ways, then you have an uncontested divorce, which should make the legal process go smoothly. This is especially the case if you don’t have children together and you both agree on how to divide your assets.

One of the most common issues to be worked out in mediation is the parenting arrangements. It will usually take several mediation sessions to arrive at an outcome that you can both agree to, but at Panko Collaborative Law & Mediation, we are up to the task and would be happy to help you reach an arrangement that works for you.

Financial issues also complicate the majority of divorces. There are often complex factors that keep couples from being able to reach an agreement without assistance.  Additionally, it’s common for divorcing spouses to disagree on who gets spousal support or how to determine child support. Luckily, our mediation and collaborative law efforts can help with negotiations surrounding these family law matters, so we invite you to schedule an initial consultation at our Saskatoon law offices today.

Why Should I Hire Saskatoon Family Lawyers?

Your divorce case does not necessarily have to go to family court to be resolved. In fact, we encourage you to do everything possible to avoid this outcome. But even if you don’t go to court, you will need guidance from lawyers who have years of experience helping divorcing spouses settle their differences out of the courtroom. In our experience serving clients in Saskatoon, undergoing mediation to decide on everything from parenting arrangements to property division will save you time and money. It can also keep your family law matters private, as they will stay between you, your spouse, and your mediator rather than going in front of a judge.

At Panko Collaborative Law & Mediation, our Saskatoon family lawyers have provided a range of legal services to countless clients over the years. Our attitude is always compassionate and friendly, as we understand this is a confusing, devastating time in your life, even if the divorce has been a long time coming.

We know there are going to be many emotions involved, and we’re prepared to provide you with the legal advice and encouragement you will need throughout the process. If you are ready to discuss your options with caring, skilled lawyers, contact us at 306-518-8107 to set up an initial consultation at our law firm today.