Domestic Violence and Fault-Based Divorce
A physically or emotionally abusive marital relationship can have a lasting effect on your life and the lives of your children. If domestic violence is occurring in your home, you are likely under a considerable amount of stress everyday and may feel that there is no way to escape. Fortunately, there are several options you can pursue to get you and your children away from an abusive home life.
A domestic violence attorney can help guide you through the process of escaping domestic violence. If you need help escaping an abusive relationship, contact the experienced, compassionate Austin domestic violence lawyers of Slater, Kennon & Pugh Ltd.LLP today at 512-472-2431.
How a Domestic Violence Lawyer Can Help
A lawyer with experience in domestic violence cases can help protect your family and your property by quickly initiating the divorce process. He or she can take a number of actions to help ensure that you and your family are kept safe during and after your divorce, including:
- Securing a protective order against the abusive spouse. A protective order offers more powerful protections than a restraining order and will help keep you and your children safe from any further domestic violence.
- Filing a fault-based divorce. If domestic violence is taking place in your home, then you are entitled to file for fault-based divorce. This means that, as the abused spouse, you can receive a larger share of marital assets in a divorce.
- Fighting for your parental rights. Domestic abuse towards children is taken very seriously by the courts. An experienced lawyer can help you secure child custody to keep your children from further harm.
- Fighting for your property rights. A domestic violence lawyer can take the appropriate legal action to have the abusive spouse removed from your residence during the divorce proceeding. In court a lawyer can argue for your right to the residence to help you secure your home for you and your children.
Fault-Based Divorce
While you may feel that fault-based divorce seems overly confrontational against your spouse, it is often an important action to take against an abusive spouse to help ensure future safety and stability for you and your children. Evidence of domestic violence in a fault-based divorce case can help you obtain the following through a divorce:
- A greater portion of property awarded through property division settlement
- Alimony (spousal support paid to you to help you become self-reliant after divorce)
- Child custody, possibly as sole managing conservator
- Child support paid by your spouse
- Rights to residence
Contact Us
If you are considering leaving an abusive spouse, then the compassionate, experienced Austin domestic violence lawyers of Slater, Kennon & Pugh Ltd.LLP can help you safely obtain the security and autonomy from an abusive home life that you and your family deserve. Contact us today at 512-472-2431.