Putnam Law Office – Family Law Attorney

Do you need help with a family law matter in Oklahoma City? Putnam Law Office can help you make tough family law legal decisions. Call today to schedule a consultation.

Oklahoma City Family Law Attorney

Can Oklahoma Child Support Ever Be Terminated? Divorce and other family law matters are among the most personal and overwhelming legal issues that anyone will ever have to face. These matters are intensely private and involve relationships that are fundamental in an individual’s life. Family law issues typically involve strained emotions and feelings no one really wants to be examined in a public atmosphere.

Whether you are dissolving a marital relationship, dealing with domestic violence issues, or the breaking up of a family, you are probably experiencing a wide array of emotions. Anger, sadness, anxiety, and fear often come into play as someone tries to navigate the Oklahoma family law legal process.

Putnam Law Office is here to help guide you through all of this. We will work closely with you to find the most balanced and effective solution that will serve your needs and, if applicable, your children’s best interests. We are compassionate and highly skilled in all Oklahoma family law matters. We will work as efficiently as we can to ensure that we minimize your costs as much as possible. Call us today to see how we can help you.

Some of the family law issues that Putnam Law Office handles include:

Divorce
Paternity
Adoptions
Asset/property division
Child custody
Child support
Child visitation
Fathers’ rights
Guardianship
Mediation
Parental alienation
Post-divorce modifications
Prenuptial agreements
Spousal support
Victim protective orders (VPO)

If you need help with a family law matter in Oklahoma City or the surrounding counties, call Putnam Law Office today to schedule a consultation. Let us put our experience to work for you.

The Divorce Process in Oklahoma

Deciding to file for divorce is never an easy decision. It’s a complicated legal process that can divide a family. It’s an extremely difficult process that affects everyone in the family unit. If children are involved, the process can be a lot longer, more intense and have a lasting effect on them.

That is why it is so important to speak to a skilled Oklahoma City divorce lawyer as soon as possible if you are considering filing for divorce or if you were recently served with divorce or paternity papers. Call Putnam Law Office today to schedule a consultation.

There are a number of legal steps that must be taken in an Oklahoma divorce process from beginning to end. These include the following items:

File a petition – Every divorce starts by filing a petition. The petition is where you state your grounds for the divorce. This is also the time when you identify what you want out of the divorce.
Answer – Even if you were not the person who wanted the divorce, you still have to answer after you are served with divorce papers in the state of Oklahoma. If you need additional time to answer after you’ve been served, call Putnam Law Office right away. We can help you get an extension to ensure that you respond in the appropriate way.
Temporary Order Hearing – Sometimes, it is appropriate or advantageous to have a temporary order hearing scheduled. The temporary order hearing determines certain issues such as who will live in the marital home, who will pay certain bills, and whether spousal support is appropriate. If children are involved in the marriage, this is also the time when custody will be addressed, visitation schedules will be put in place, and child support will be established. Putnam Law Office will use this time to find as much supporting evidence as possible before the next step in the process.
Discovery – This is when you and our team will gather all the evidence that will help you to prove your case. This is also the time when questions are sent to the opposing party, requests and/or subpoenas are made for any documents needed to prove your claims or provide defenses against the opposing party’s claims. Depositions may be conducted and any expert testimony is secured if needed as we prepare to go to trial.
Mediation – Mediation is always encouraged in family law matters. This is because these cases are so stressful and emotionally charged. Oftentimes, clients are open to submitting to mediation voluntarily in an effort to resolve their issues instead of risking what the judge will decide at trial.
Trial – Putnam Law Office can help you get prepared to go to trial in your family law matter. We will prepare you and your witnesses for trial. We will find and gather all of the evidence that supports your case and will ensure that you are presented in the best light possible to the court.

If you are considering filing for divorce or you have been served with divorce papers by your spouse, call us today to schedule a consultation to discuss your specific situation with our knowledgeable Oklahoma City family law attorney.

What Is the Difference Between Contested Divorce and an Uncontested Divorce?

There are two types of divorce in Oklahoma:

Uncontested Divorce – You are able to get an uncontested divorce if you and your spouse are able to amicably agree on how to handle all matters involved in dissolving the marriage, also known as a “dissolution of marriage” in Oklahoma.

Contested Divorce – This type of divorce is much more complicated. When a divorce is contested it means that the spouses aren’t able to agree on one or more issues pertaining to their divorce which results in the judge having to make the decisions for them.

What Are Your Rights If You Are Getting Divorced in Oklahoma City?

When you have been issued a date in an Oklahoma divorce court, it can be a frightening prospect for all parties involved. The marital conflicts that precede a divorce can result in one spouse threatening the other to withhold financial support or to flee with the children. When the threatening spouse has the financial means to retain expensive legal counsel, it may feel like they will be able to make their threats become a reality.

The laws in Oklahoma are set up to protect your rights throughout the divorce process. Oklahoma City family law courts are designed and obligated to always interpret and apply the law in all cases. If you are involved in an Oklahoma City divorce, you may have the rights to:

Property
Pensions
Future earnings
Safety
Peace
Alimony
Child Support
Child custody
Reconcile

When a divorce is initiated in Oklahoma City, a statutory injunction goes into effect automatically, at least temporarily for both parties. This injunction basically freezes all assets. That means, when two parties are divorcing in Oklahoma, the spouses are prohibited from:

Canceling or changing an insurance policy.
Transferring, concealing, or disposing of property acquired during the marriage.
Opening mail or diverting it.
Signing for or endorsing the other spouse’s name.
Destroying or damaging marital property.
Withdrawing money from profit sharing, retirement plans, pensions, employee benefits, or death benefits.
Hiding children from a spouse.
Disturbing the peace of the children or keeping them from the other party.
Making unilateral changes in the children’s education plan.
Taking children out of state, aside from vacations that are no more than two weeks without the written permission of the other parent.

If you are considering divorce or if you have already been served with divorce papers in Oklahoma City, we can help you through this confusing and difficult time. Call Putnam Law Office today to schedule a consultation with our Oklahoma City family law attorneys.

The Most Common Myths About Divorce in Oklahoma City

There are so many things that people say and do when they are experiencing the pain, stress, and frustration associated with divorce. Divorce is an extremely complicated legal process that involves the dissolution of a family unit. Emotions run extremely high throughout this process. There are a lot of myths or misconceptions that people have when they think about divorce in Oklahoma. The most common myths and misconceptions about divorce in Oklahoma include the following:

Mothers always get sole custody of the kids.
Having an adulterous relationship means you lose everything.
If you live with a person for six months, you have a common-law marriage.
Hiring a divorce lawyer will be too expensive.
Fathers never get custody of the children.
Divorce is always expensive.
You can deny visitation if child support isn’t paid.
Husbands always have to pay their wives alimony.

The Most Common Mistakes People Make During Divorce in Oklahoma City

There are so many emotions that affect the entire family when a divorce is taking place. The most common mistakes or errors that people make in an Oklahoma divorce include:

Trying to avoid responsibility.
Not considering all your assets.
Discussing the situation with friends or taking friends’ advice before speaking with a divorce attorney.
Entering into an agreement without consulting with a family law attorney.
Posting about the divorce on social media outlets including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Agreeing to an unfair or unjust settlement.
Not listening to the advice of your attorney.
Not sharing all information with your attorney.
Procrastinating or trying to avoid an unavoidable divorce.

If you are considering divorcing your spouse in Oklahoma City or your spouse has served you with divorce papers you need a family law attorney who can protect you, your children, your property, and your rights. Let Putnam Law Office help guide you through this very confusing and difficult time in your life.

Child Custody Matters in Oklahoma City

Your children are your pride and joy and the thought of not seeing them every day is a frightening prospect for any parent. In Oklahoma, the law focuses on what is in the best interest of the child. The court looks at all of the facts in each case and considers a series of different factors. These factors include:

The child’s relationship with each parent.
The child’s home situation.
Whether the child is old enough to decide.
The child’s wishes.
The child’s overall well-being, both physically and emotionally.
Stability of each parent’s home.
The parenting ability of each party.
The work schedules for each parent.
Whether there were instances of domestic violence in the home.
Whether there with substance abuse issues in the home environment.
The locations of each party’s home.
The parent who will be more apt to comply with court orders.
The parent who will allow regular visitation.

Oklahoma does not give automatic preference to the mother or the father; in fact, statutes specifically prevent that from occurring. Usually, judges try to award some type of custody to both the mother and the father, that is, unless there is a reason not to do so.

Our team at Putnam Law Office can provide legal counsel regarding visitation schedules and child custody matters in Oklahoma. We can answer your questions and ease your mind. Call us today to get started.

What Is Mediation?

Mediation is an intervention in a dispute with the goal of resolving it. It is a voluntary process that helps the parties arrive at an agreement. The mediator is not an arbitrator though, so they make no decisions.

In fact, a mediator is a neutral party whose job is to try to bring the two parties together, usually in a neutral area, so that the parties can determine their own fate, instead of having a judge decide it for them. Mediation helps settle more than 80 percent of divorce cases.

Mediation is also a very effective way to save time and money on legal fees. In fact, at Putnam Law Office, we generally tend to recommend mediation early in a process in order to save legal fees for our clients rather than continue with unnecessarily protracted litigation efforts that could be avoided. After you have decided to try mediation, your lawyers will start preparing for the approaching mediation by:

Gathering Information – Both sides will have the opportunity to request information from the other. Both sides need adequate information that is relevant to the case in order to make valid and fair decisions. Appraisals of personal property, as well as inventories, will be requested at this time. You may be asked for things such as financial information, credit card account records, banking records, tax returns, and more. Your attorney will need you to respond as thoroughly and quickly as possible when requested so that the process will not be delayed, postponed, or canceled.
Developing Your Position – Your Oklahoma City family law attorney will meet with you before the mediation. We will put together a financial statement for you and will request documentation of assets and liability if we are hired to handle your divorce case. We will put together a brief for the mediation that will detail the reference material that will be used by the mediator and by our team. We will also work to initiate proposals and demands as we track negotiations throughout the process.

It is absolutely essential for both sides to hand over the requested information prior to going into mediation so the mediation can be successful. Having your cooperation will go a long way in setting the stage for a successful mediation.

Call Putnam Law Office to talk to an Oklahoma City family law attorney about whether mediation is a good option in your case.

Why Choose Putnam Law Office?

Attorney Brian Putnam of Putnam Law Office is a retired military officer who brings more than 20 years of leadership, negotiation, and conflict resolution experience to the table to ensure that there is an objective point of view to an already emotionally draining and stressful time.

Let us be your personal advocates. No matter what type of family law issues you are facing, we can make sure that you are able to move forward with confidence while maintaining your peace of mind. We will help you weigh out all of the risks and the benefits of each of your options. We want you to feel valued, informed, and empowered.

You deserve to work with a lawyer who understands what you are going through and can offer straightforward, yet insightful, legal counsel in an environment that is comforting and safe. Call Putnam Law Office today at 405-724-7701 to schedule a consultation with a knowledgeable and experienced Oklahoma City family law attorney.

Family Law Attorney in Oklahoma City