Stafford Law Office practices solely in the area of family law. We can serve either as your individual attorney, advocating for you, or as a neutral mediator. Of course, we can't serve as both an advocate and a mediator on the same case.

Advocacy
Our firm offers advice and representation on all family law matters, including pre-marital agreements, separation, divorce, post-nuptial agreements, co-habitation agreements or disputes, paternity, adoption, custody, parenting time (visitation), guardianship over minors or adults, child support, grandparent rights, Children in Need of Services (CHINS), and other related matters. We welcome GLBTQ clients.

Collaborative Divorce
Collaborative Divorce, which has been called "divorce with dignity," is an approach to divorce that focuses on open communication and cooperation and avoids the stress and confrontation of going to court. It is an increasingly popular method that can allow divorcing spouses to work with professionals to achieve the best possible settlement in way that focuses on the children and facilitates respect among the parties. In a Collaborative Divorce, the parties and attorneys agree that they will use neutral experts instead of independent experts to help reduce confrontations; that they will not go to court; and that they will respect shared goals throughout the process.

Mediation
Mediation allows the parties to craft a customized solution, through the services of a neutral third party. Mediation is confidential and can result in a written agreement that can be submitted to court for approval. The parties are typically in different rooms, and the mediator moves between them, working towards a compromise. Some mediating parties prefer to mediate without their own attorneys; while some prefer to hire someone who can serve as their advocate and who can advise them on the best courses of action at a mediation. Remember, a mediator is neutral and will not be able to provide legal advice to either party. A mediator does not not have the power to decide an issue for the parties, but can only urge the parties towards compromise. If you think that your case might be a good candidate for mediation, you can call our office for more information or to set up a mediation.