The unthinkable has happened. Your marriage is coming to an end. You may be confused and frustrated. You may feel you’ve let your children and extended family down. You’re not in the mood or financial position to consider all that comes with a divorce: issues like custody and visitation, support and property division. Your biggest wish, deep down, is to have someone you can trust to help you understand all of
those issues, give you peace of mind, and help pave the way to a happier future.
Attorney Vincent J. Bernabei is that person. He has helped people like you since 1984, and is the founder of the respected family law firm of the Law Office of Vincent J. Bernabei LLC. The sound advice and personal service he offers can make the difference in your life and in the lives of your loved ones at this uncertain time. Working closely with clients, Mr. Bernabei explains the financial and tax consequences of divorce, helping clients protect themselves, their children, and their financial interests. Together, we will identify and evaluate each marital asset and how it is likely to be divided, the factors relied upon by a judge in determining child custody, and the criteria used to determine child support and alimony. Attorney Vincent J. Bernabei presides over a prestigious law practice that’s designed to address your family law issues. We do that with our experience, legal knowledge and people skills. We will be sensitive to your needs
during every step of the process.
We provide legal advice and assistance in all facets of family law, including:
- CONTESTED DIVORCE. In a contested divorce, the parties are unable to agree on one or more issues. Our law office provides knowledgeable representation to people involved in contested divorces, and we seek the best possible results for our clients.
- UNCONTESTED DIVORCE. If divorcing parties agree on every divorce-related legal issue, we can proceed with an uncontested divorce. We will work with you to identify solutions that work for your particular circumstances and to keep you out of court now and in the future.
- ANNULMENTS. Our law office also represents clients seeking an annulment, which, when complete, establishes that the marriage never existed.
- SPOUSAL SUPPORT. Spousal support, which is also known as spousal maintenance or alimony, may be awarded on a temporary, rehabilitative, or indefinite (permanent) basis. The many factors that a court considers in making this decision, and how each factor applies to you and your unique case, are reviewed with you.
- CHILD CUSTODY. Issues involving children are some of the most emotional and hotly contested aspects of divorce. The Law Office of Vincent J. Bernabei responds to your concerns with compassion and knowledgeable assistance while we seek reasonable determinations of disputes regarding child custody arrangements and visitation agreements.
- CHILD SUPPORT. Whether you will be receiving support to care for your children, or you anticipate being responsible for paying support, we know that you want to ensure the fair amount is calculated. Our law office has in-depth knowledge of Oregon and Washington’s child support guidelines, and we take the time to listen to your concerns about what should be taken into consideration in these calculations.
- PROPERTY DIVISION. Oregon is a marital property state and Washington is a community property state. Both states ordinarily divide property and debts acquired during the marriage 50/50, but there are many exceptions to the general rule. We are here to identify what assets are yours separately, which are jointly owned with your spouse, and then seek the best possible property settlement for you. We have extensive experience in minimizing risk to our client's in cases involving small family businesses, including family farms and rental properties.
- RELATIONSHIP AGREEMENTS. Vincent J. Bernabei encourages people to consider the benefits that come with having a properly drafted prenuptial or postnuptial agreement or domestic partnership agreement. Whether you are planning on living together, getting married, or are already married for the first time or second time, a relationship agreement may work for you, especially if you have children from a previous marriage or are marrying later in life with significant assets.
- MILITARY DIVORCE. We provide knowledgeable legal help to active duty military, retired military and their spouses. Our law office understands how to best protect your military retirement benefits and address any related problems.
- ADOPTIONS. We provide guidance and assistance to you in navigating the complex requirements to complete an adoption, whether the adoption is contested or uncontested by a birth parent.
- GUARDIANSHIPS. We assist clients in establishing a guardianship to care for a minor child or incapacitated adult.
- MEDIATION. Divorce through mediation often saves time, money and emotional stress. Attorney Vincent J. Bernabei can serve as your neutral third-party mediator.
- FAMILY LAW APPEALS. If you are considering an appeal of a family law judgment, we can review the details of the original case and help to determine if pursuing an appeal is an appropriate option for you, and present your case to the appellate court in the best light possible.