Family Law Philosophy
The Easy Way
Many people falsely believe that divorce is easy. They think that dissolving a marriage is as simple as downloading some forms, signing them, and filing them in court. But this “easy way” of divorcing one’s partner can erode your fundamental and constitutional rights, expose yourself to being taken advantage of, leave your assets on the table, and sometimes actually be harmful to your children. Without the skills of a savvy divorce attorney who is well-versed in community property law or child custody matters, taking the “easy way” could actually cause much more damage in the long run. You may think that walking away and giving in to your partner’s demands is simpler than hiring a lawyer. But in reality, your actions could be interpreted as naïve, or even worse, when children are involved, you could be accused of “not parenting in the child(ren)’s best interests” if a plan is not set in place.
At GRIFFIN DONNELL and ASSOCIATES, APC, we not only protect you as the client, but we protect the property you accumulated during the relationship. And most importantly, we offer advice as to how to protect your rights as a parent, in the best interests of your children.
The Hard Way
Sometimes I hear a family law client say, “I want to take the other party down, ” or “I want full custody of MY child.” In other words: litigate, litigate, litigate!
When it comes to family law, litigation is not necessarily the best first choice. If you are not being represented by a skilled attorney who is well-versed in settling out of court, litigation can drag on for years. Sometimes the ill-conceived desire to punish the other party, or to get revenge through the courts, can actually be detrimental in the long run. Not only can the “hard way” drain your financial assets, but the emotional toll that perpetual litigation takes on the body is very real. Family law litigants who find themselves in long extended high conflict disputes usually burn out after a few years. But the custody conflicts can drag on for the majority of the child’s early years, long after funds are drained and emotions have given way to physical health issues. The fact is, when children are involved, they are the ones who suffer the most.
At GRIFFIN DONNELL and ASSOCIATES, APC, we encourage settlement out of court prior to litigation. When necessary, compelling the other party through litigation is the only solution. We do not fight just to fight. The only winners in a protracted litigation scenario are the attorneys who incur massive fees. We want to protect not only your assets, emotional and physical health during family law matters, but above all, your children.
The Griffin Donnell Way
At GRIFFIN DONNELL and ASSOCIATES, APC, we are skilled at using our proven methods of solving problems to help achieve our clients’ objectives. We combine many years of experience settling conflicts out of court, with fierce and tenacious litigation skills in court, to provide the best solution for your difficult and complex problems. The Griffin Donnell way helps solve our clients’ problems, to protect their financial assets; preserve their emotional and physical health; and most importantly, when children are involved, guide the child custody dispute in a manner that best comports with the child’s best interest. We offer the entire spectrum of services in the family law field, and we find that our way is the best way to help you get through this difficult time.
