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Anytime a long-term relationship ends, there are serious ramifications. Just as with a divorce, the separating couple can experience emotional and financial effects from their separation. Issues such as division of assets, child support, and child custody are all important. However, the rights of unmarried couples can be harder to understand, which is why it is critical to work with a seasoned Bellevue committed intimate relationship (CIR) lawyer.
If you have recently ended a CIR, an experienced family attorney could help you understand your legal options and rights. Our dedicated legal team at Twyford Law Office could help you move forward with your life.
Although people in long-term cohabitation relationships do not have all the same legal rights as married couples, if a court determines that they are in a CIR, they do have many of the same rights. When a couple in a CIR decides to separate and cannot agree on how to divide their assets or share custody of their children, a court could step in to settle matters.
As with a married couple, a court would look at a CIR couple’s assets and liabilities and decide if they were separate or joint. Any property acquired before an individual entered the CIR would be considered separate, and the individual who acquired it separately would keep that property. Any property acquired during the course of their relationship could be considered joint, regardless of whether it was in a joint or separate account or in just one partner’s name. A court would look at the couple’s joint assets, debts, and liabilities and try to find an equitable way to divide them.
Courts determine custody and child support obligations based on what is in the best interests of the children. Courts do not consider whether a couple was married or in a CIR when making these determinations.
Unlike married couples, people who live together do not usually have any right to spousal maintenance or alimony unless the couple has a pre-existing legal document—similar to a prenuptial agreement—stating that one party would receive alimony if they split up.
Not all attorneys are familiar with helping people in CIRs. To ensure the best possible outcome, working with a Bellevue attorney who has successfully helped other people receive the financial and legal support they need after ending long-term relationships is important.
Unlike when someone gets married and has a legal document giving them certain rights and responsibilities, there is nothing that definitively determines whether a couple is in a committed intimate relationship. Local courts typically consider the individual circumstances to see if the couple’s relationship rises to the level of a CIR.
Some of the factors that a court would look at would be as follows:
A qualified lawyer in Bellevue could help an individual present evidence proving or disproving they were in a CIR.
The end of any long-term domestic relationship can have financial and legal implications. If you were in a committed intimate relationship, you have rights and responsibilities that you need to fully understand.
Speak with a Bellevue committed intimate relationship (CIR) lawyer at Twyford Law Office. Our well-versed legal team could help you resolve your financial matters, child custody disputes, and child support issues by helping you negotiate a plan that works for you and protects your interests. Call today for a free consultation.
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