Family Law Overview

Family law is more than just divorce, and the Law Office of Dina Afek, P.C. provides a full range of quality legal services for families in Tucson and Southern Arizona, including professional advice and representation in matters including child custody, child support, spousal maintenance, adoptions, child protective services, mediations, paternity and domestic violence. If you need assistance with a divorce or any family law matter in Pima, Cochise, or Santa Cruz County, contact the Law Office of Dina Afek, P.C. for a consultation.

Divorce

We handle nearly every type of divorce, including contested and uncontested cases, matters involving complicated property division issues, military divorces for both military and non-military spouses, and divorces on the Pascua Yaqui reservation.

Child Custody & Parental Rights

When considering whether to grant sole or joint custody in matters of physical or legal custody, we aid the court in its determination of what decision is in the best interests of the child. When necessary, we stand up for the rights of young dads and make sure they are adequately represented in the custody decision. Our office also considers grandparents' rights to visitation and the benefits that extended families and multigenerational child-rearing can have on the kids.

Child Support

The determination of child support hinges on a complicated statutory formula that takes into account the parenting plan, the parties' income and needs, and many other factors. We make sure the spouses' income is properly represented to the court and that any award is fair to the parents and adequate to meet the needs of the children, including arguing for deviation from the guideline amount where appropriate.

Spousal Maintenance

Spousal maintenance (alimony) is not awarded in every case. Whether the court awards spousal maintenance to the husband or wife, for how long and for what amount, are all matters based on the evidence submitted and arguments presented to the judge in court on a host of factors. We work to make sure our client's interests are adequately represented in any discussion of spousal maintenance.

Adoptions

Our firm helps facilitate stepparent and private adoptions, so that parents can raise their family with the full complement of parental rights and responsibilities recognized under law.

CPS Issues

Allegations of abuse or neglect threaten to tear families apart. We work with parents trying to keep their kids from being taken by Child Protective Services (CPS), or work to regain custody as quickly as possible. As a former social worker of nearly 20 years, attorney Dina Afek understands how the CPS system works.

Mediations

Dina Afek is a trained mediator prepared to mediate any divorce, family law matter or almost any civil case. Our office encourages divorcing spouses to utilize collaborative, interest-based approaches such as mediation, in order to resolve issues in a way that satisfies both parties and does not further damage the relationship among family members.

Paternity

The issue of a child's parentage, particularly paternity, may arise in the course of a divorce proceeding if it has not been previously established. Only a legal father has the right to custody and visitation, and the obligation to pay child support. Even if the court orders genetic testing, the presumption created by a positive result can be overcome by other evidence against it. Whether in the context of a divorce or in a separate proceeding, we help our clients establish or challenge paternity and assumption of parental rights and responsibilities.

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence includes any dangerous crime among spouses and ex-spouses, certain other family members, and current or former dating partners (boyfriend/girlfriend). A person threatened with domestic violence may file for an order of protection, which can order the abuser out of the house, restrain the abuser from contacting the victim or other designated persons, prohibit the abuser from possessing a firearm, require the abuser to complete a treatment program, and more.

Domestic violence also plays a role in divorce and child custody cases. A court in most cases will not award custody to a parent with a significant history of domestic violence. Allegations of domestic violence may arise in the course of a custody dispute, either because emotions have led to actual violence, or in the form of false claims alleged to gain an advantage in the custody dispute. We help victims find safety and obtain appropriate protective orders, or challenge such orders when they are used offensively in a custody battle.