Family Law Legal Services in Hawaii
Read below to learn more about the services available from Big Decisions HI.
Legal Consulting Services
**All consultation and coaching is done pursuant to unbundled legal service- any and all representation must be set forth in a specific contract signed by you and Annabel. **
Parenting Plans
My favorite thing to do is to help parents create a developmentally appropriate parenting plan. What’s that? It’s a plan, in writing (filed with the court or just for you both to have) that lays out the way that separated and divorced parents are going to share the responsibility and the joy of parenting. Kids of every age and stage of development need different parenting plans so that they can thrive.
Stability, consistency, and nurturing are the three top of the list things your children need, and I can help you to establish the best plan possible. If you and the other parent want to work together, that’s great, but if you just can’t reach an agreement, I’m happy to work with you to create a plan that you can present and explain to the other parent, or, if it looks like you’ll be going to family court, to present to a Judge as the plan you are requesting they order.
Pro Se Coaching
Document preparation- The Judge needs to understand your story, and what you are asking for, and why, before you walk into the courtroom.
Preparing you for what to expect- Walking into a courtroom can be intimidating, especially if you don’t know the rules, or who says what when. Family Court Judges are required to treat you respectfully, but the more prepared and ready you are, the more respect you will get.
Practice- We’ll practice what you’re going to say and how you’re going to say it, and how to respond to the Judge and the opposing counsel in most situations.)
The benefits of representing yourself pro se? You can save thousands of dollars in legal fees, your voice will be heard directly as you advocate for yourself, and in situations where your ex is hoping to force you to spend money on attorneys as a control tactic, they will lose the opportunity to drain you, mentally and financially.
Financial Education & Resources for Engaged Couples
Congratulations, you’re getting married! That’s wonderful. There are a couple of important things to understand about how marriage impacts your finances, and how the blending of assets and debts will affect your financial status. Lack of clarity and mutual understanding of what you each have, what you each owe, and how you will move forward financially as a couple can lead to confusion and conflict. Let’s make sure you are on the same page so that there are no financial surprises and your financial relationship with each other is solid right from the start.
No one wants to discuss “what if” when they say, “I do.” I totally understand. But again, for clarity, and to avoid surprises, having your “date of marriage” financial picture as clear as possible, and in writing, will help you to avoid future misunderstandings.
Why? Because Hawaii law says that a couple looks at their “date of marriage” financial situation to determine how assets and debts should be split, even if the date of marriage was 20 years in the past! I’ll guide you through the process of talking about, gathering, listing, and organizing relevant documents so you’re both clear on your date of marriage finances before your big day. Let’s create that clear picture
now so you don’t have to go through the difficult process of (possibly!) sorting it out years or even decades later.
Financial Education & Resources for Unmarried Couples
Many couples decide that they don’t need or want to ever get married, and if marriage isn’t for you both, that’s great too! However, it’s important to make sure that you’re aware and understand the financial implications of big, joint purchases and how you move forward together financially as an unmarried couple.
For instance, if you buy a house together, you need a contract, because the assets in that house will be treated very differently for you than it would be if you were married. Putting money in retirement accounts, or how you share the investments, or even spending on credit cards can end up being very confusing and upsetting in the (very slim!) possibility that you break up. Love is amazing, but whether you decided to get married or not, you need to be open and honest with yourself and each other about your financial goals, aspirations, or expectations.
General Inquiry Consultations
You are not sure what your legal rights are, or how different decisions will affect your family and your future. You would like to discuss options for moving forward, and to understand both the upside and the potential downside associated with various decisions.
Let's Talk
The first step in making a Big Decision is talking. Let's find a time where we can meet and talk about what's on your mind.
Legal Questions I'll Help You Answer
Maybe you’re wondering, “why wouldn’t I just hire an attorney instead of doing a paid consultation with you?” Because there are important questions that I can help you to answer before you hire an attorney:
Do I need to hire an attorney?
Not all situations call for the immediate hiring of a busy and expensive attorney. There are questions of timing, finances, and finding the right person. Too often, people start googling “good attorneys” and start calling down the list of “top rated,” desperately hoping for a return call. The decision to hire an attorney could very well be one of the most important decisions you ever make, and not just financially. Let’s talk about whether you need to hire an attorney immediately and, if so, who that person should be, and actually, you might not know about all of the many ways you can avoid expensive and time consuming litigation. Ways that are kinder, more holistic, and that will leave fewer scars.
Can I afford to hire an attorney?
You’d be surprised at how many people appear in Family Court
pro se, meaning without an attorney. But you’d also be surprised by how complicated representing yourself can be. I can help you get those forms prepared, and I can help you to be ready to go to court if it turns out that going to court is absolutely necessary.
Do I understand the legal implications of marriage or divorce?
Sometimes people rush into marriage without understanding how marriage actually works! It's so important to have financial transparency, i.e. a mutual understanding of what you both have and what you both owe to other people. This isn’t about getting divorced, that wouldn’t be very romantic of me, but it is about going into what is basically a financial contract with your eyes wide open and no surprises. I’ve watched hundreds of partnerships and marriages fall apart because of “financial infidelity;” secret credit card debts (those are joint debts if you’re married), hiding money, and other misunderstandings that lead to arguments and, in the worst cases, separation and divorce. You know so much about each other, but do you know about each other’s finances? Do you have mutual financial goals?
Speaking of divorce, or separating if you aren’t married, there is a lot to unpack, both literally and figuratively:
How does custody work? What is a co-parenting plan? How long does it take to get divorced? What if I want to move off island with my child? How do parenting plan works? How does child support work? Can we do an uncontested divorce? (of course you can, and I can help with that, too).
Can I stay out of Family Court?
Family Court is not a fun place, in fact, it can be downright traumatizing. Judges are hard working and generally smart people but that doesn’t mean they understand what is best for you and your family. The “system” of Family Court is a pretty dysfunctional system (ask anyone), and the best news is, you have far more options for solving conflict than going to Family Court.
No attorney-client relationship is established by contacting the firm and no confidential information should be sent via the internet.
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