Family Law

Family legal matters can be costly, emotional affairs. While it is impossible for us to erase the damage done to your relationships with loved ones, having a competent attorney can lessen the pain and bitterness complicated legal proceedings leave behind. Gunn Cain & Kinney, LLP provides expert assistance with filing paperwork, dividing marital assets, negotiating spousal support payments, and arranging child custody details. Our firm’s attorneys have experience handling many aspects of family law, including:

Divorce

Oregon is a no-fault state; it does not require residents to establish proof of blame or acts of misconduct when filing a divorce petition. There are two types of divorce in Oregon:

• Uncontested divorce, where both parties agree to the terms of the divorce, can take as little as 4 months.
• Contested divorce, where the parties cannot agree to the divorce terms, typically takes at least 9 months to get to trial.

Divorce in Oregon becomes finalized when a judge has signed a divorce decree (also known as the General Judgment Dissolution of Marriage), where the finer details of your divorce are specifically outlined. A skilled divorce attorney will negotiate the terms of your divorce, ensuring the dissolution of your marriage goes smoothly and is completed in a timely fashion.

Child Custody

Child custody determines which parent will make the majority of important decisions affecting a child’s everyday life. Oregon typically designates one parent as the custodial parent. Though the non-custodial parent may choose to exercise their rights regarding childcare decisions, the custodial parent has more authority. When both parents are awarded joint custody, they must share the responsibility of healthcare, religion, education, and residency decisions.
The attorneys at Gunn Cain & Kinney, LLP treat the welfare of the child as our number one priority in child custody cases. As such, we look at factors like the roles parents have played in the past, the willingness of each parent to cooperate with their ex-spouse, and the general quality of life each parent would provide. Trust us to protect the well-being of your loved ones.

Spousal Support

Spousal support is typically paid on a monthly basis. Though the amount of money paid can be renegotiated at a later date, a spousal support order must be stipulated as a part of the original divorce judgment for a party to be eligible. Oregon divides spousal support (also called alimony), into three categories:

• Transitional support is determined based on what would be necessary to help the spouse get an education, re-enter, or advance in the job market. The length of this support is decided by the court.
• Compensatory support is determined based on the contribution a spouse has made to the benefit of the other spouse. Factors include advancement in the education, career, and earning ability, as well as financial support.
• Spousal maintenance is based on how much money a spouse would need to maintain approximately the same quality of life as they had in their marriage. Spousal maintenance may be paid for months, years, or until the death of a spouse.

Conveniently located in Newberg, Oregon, our attorneys represent clients throughout Yamhill, Marion, Washington, Polk, Multnomah, and Clackamas counties. Contact Gunn Cain & Kinney, LLP today for assistance with your family law matter.