A Levelheaded Approach To Divorce
Our attorneys at Hamilton and Chan know how to navigate divorce. Our lawyers can carefully evaluate all your options to determine the best path forward for your unique case.
The stereotypical divorce is a heated and bitter battle. But procedurally, the vast majority (potentially as high as 95 percent) of these cases are resolved without trial – either by way of the agreement of the parties, negotiated settlement between counsel for the parties, mediation (which is favored by our courts) or by way of settlement conferences conducted by the court.
We will examine all sides of your situation and figure out the best approach rather than jumping into difficult and potentially stressful litigation right away.
Basic Hawaii Divorce Information
Hawaii is a no-fault divorce law state. That means that any marital misconduct such as infidelity or drug and alcohol abuse, is largely irrelevant except as it may relate to child custody determinations. Hawaii follows fairly rigid rules based on marital partnership principles, akin to commercial partnership law, as to the division of the marital estate, and we follow the principle of protecting “the best interests of the child” in determining custody and visitation.
Child support is ordinarily determined by the child support guidelines worksheet, a uniform mathematical computation based solely on the income of the parties and not on expenses. Hawaii does award alimony, but it is expected to be considerably less popular under the Trump tax bill, and the deductibility of alimony is eliminated starting Jan. 1, 2019.
If you come in for an initial consultation, we can provide you practical, intelligent, sophisticated, realistic advice and counsel on any of these issues.
Contact Our Experienced Attorneys
Our attorneys can help you navigate your divorce and minimize conflict. Talk to us today to set up a consultation so you can start getting back on your feet. Contact us at our Honolulu office through our website or call us at 808-377-4030.