Our Services and areas of Expertise

In addition to the many resources we offer at R+A, please see below a summary of our services. Should you need additional information, please click on of the links below to learn more FREE at Family Law University or check out the Video Library for additional information.

If you have unanswered questions please feel free to contact us.

Divorce 

Divorce is what we do all day every day, and we know from firsthand experience the impact it has on your family. It’s a life change on the order of death, except in divorce the funeral doesn’t end for weeks, months, or even years, especially if you have kids. If anyone tells you divorce is easy, that person is lying to you. Our attorneys and staff believe in marriage and family, but we believe that God has a plan for everyone, and happiness and an abundant life is part of that plan. We have facilitated hundreds (yes, hundreds) of divorces in Mississippi, and our former clients can tell you about the results they have gotten with us. We can guide you and your family through Mississippi’s version of no-fault divorce, or a divorce based on fault grounds such as adultery or habitual cruel and inhuman treatment. We can also help you coordinate all the other legal tasks that come after your divorce is final, like transferring retirement funds and real estate. Learn More

Custody and Visitation 

If you are a parent, child custody and visitation are the most important legal issues you can face, whether your relationship ended years ago or you are currently contemplating a separation. There are two kinds of child custody, physical and legal, and the fine points of Mississippi’s custody laws constantly change. R+A attorneys stay on the forefront of Mississippi’s evolving laws to make sure our clients’ custodial arrangements have the best chance of working. Everyone knows that no two families celebrate special occasions the same way, or even on the same days. There is really no such thing as “standard” visitation schedule, and we have written hundreds of custom visitation schedules to accommodate family traditions and to avoid conflicts. Learn More

Equitable Distribution and Alimony 

In Mississippi divorces, there is no automatic 50/50 division of property. Instead, Mississippi is an equitable distribution state, which means our courts look at a number of factors before deciding how to divide and distribute a marital estate, the contents of which can range from pots and pans to interests in multi-million dollar businesses. With our in-depth knowledge of the equitable distribution process and the evidence needed to obtain the best results, our attorneys have obtained excellent judgments and agreements in marital estates, both large and small. Our firm’s concentration on family law gives our attorneys keen insight to many financial issues that others might overlook in negotiating agreements and presenting divorce cases at trial.

Alimony, the cousin of equitable distribution, is awarded to ensure that a spouse is financially cared for upon divorce. The proper drafting and analysis of alimony provisions is a crucial aspect of a divorce case, and our attorneys can dissect or construct Learn More

Child Support 

Each state, for the most part, has a different way of computing the amount of child support an absent parent must pay. Child support is an issue in virtually every family law case involving children, whether it is a divorce, modification, contempt or paternity case. Because child support issues arise in almost every family law case, our attorneys understand how to quickly and accurately calculate the required support, regardless of the responsible party’s income and resources. We also work in the gray areas of the law when base child support is inadequate. Payment for medical expenses, extracurricular activities, daycare, private school, college educations and other financial issues concerning children are routinely addressed at R+A. Learn More

Alternative Dispute Resolution 

Mediation, which is a concentrated, formal effort to settle a case through a third party facilitator, can short-circuit many of the significant challenges presented by litigation. Our Chancery Judges and their staff are conscientious, professional, and have the well-being of families at heart, but R+A believes an out-of-court settlement is always the best way to resolve a family law dispute. For one thing, litigation takes an incredible amount of time: in some areas of the state, trials must be scheduled as much as eighteen months from the time the trial date is requested. Plus, it can take several months to fully prepare a case for trial, and that is if everyone is getting along in the process, which is rare. Along with that investment goes the substantial financial commitment for the formal litigation process. Our attorneys have handled dozens of mediations for clients, and Craig is a certified mediator. Our team believes in mediation, and we suggest it in almost every case. We also energetically Learn More

Contempt and Modification 

On a television show, a person might be found in contempt for acting out in the courtroom, disrespectfully addressing the judge, or refusing to answer a question while on the witness stand. In the real world, Mississippi Judges routinely find people, including parties to family law cases, in civil and criminal contempt for not doing what they are supposed to under judgments. Our attorneys regularly prosecute contempt actions against people who don’t follow the rules. We also fiercely defend clients who are unfairly charged with contempt. Our attorneys have helped clients stay out of jail, we have caused adversaries to be incarcerated, and we have obtained civil judgments for money and other forms of relief against contemnors.

Frequently, if contempt is an issue, there is something that is not working or there has been a change in circumstances since the controlling judgment was rendered. We routinely help our clients negotiate modifications to complicated financial arrangements and custody and visit Learn More

Alienation of Affection 

Mississippi law is very protective over the marriage covenant. What many people do not realize is that the law entitles a husband or wife, by virtue of their relationship, to the services and companionship of their spouse. If an outsider interferes in a marriage and wrongfully deprives a person of those rights, the outsider can be liable for sometimes significant money damages. Our attorneys draw on a depth of experience in family law cases to give our clients solid advice and strategy in alienation cases, whether we represent the plaintiff or the defendant. Learn More

Adoption 

There is a global orphan crisis. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), there is estimated to be between 143 and 210 million orphans worldwide, defined as a child that has lost one or both parents due to death. The calculation does not include children that have been abandoned by their living parents. To give you some perspective about this overwhelming data, the population of the United States is approximately 300 million. There is a population of orphans in the world two-thirds the size of our country. “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27 NIV As followers of Christ adopted by God into His eternal family, we have a duty to look after the staggering number of orphans in the world. We are thrilled to use our time, talent and ability to help families live out their adoption story. Learn More

Litigation

It’s a southern cliché, but there is truly more than one way to skin a cat[fish]. We encourage settlement of disputes to avoid conflict in families, but our attorneys are, after all, litigators by training. So, if we can’t reach a settlement, we welcome the opportunity to guide our clients through the litigation process and let the Courts decide the issues. We have successfully tried cases in almost every Chancery Court district in the State of Mississippi, and we have litigated numerous actions in federal trial courts, plus our state’s appeals courts. We are also licensed to practice before the US Tax Court and the US Supreme Court.

Negotiated Agreements

If a family law case goes to court, the outcome will be decided by a Judge, who is a stranger to the parties. He is in the decision making business and will often take a “one size fits all” approach. No matter how thoughtful the judge, it is always better to resolve a family law case out of court. Our team negotiates with other attorneys, literally on a day-to-day basis, to structure effective, custom agreements aimed at lasting peaceful results.

Prenuptial + Postnuptial Agreements

Like all contracts, pre- and post-nuptial agreements should be carefully crafted and scrutinized. Our attorneys are skilled at reviewing, analyzing, and constructing custom, effective marital agreements, and we can recommend other professionals, like accountants and financial planners, to provide guidance on ancillary tax and estate planning issues.

Grandparents Visitation Rights

Grandparents occupy a special place in families. Mississippi law sets out special rules for grandparents and their rights to visit with their grandchildren. R+A attorneys can help families understand those rights and how they apply to them.  Check out our worksheet which explains whether or not your case qualifies.

Termination of Parental Rights

Understandably, a termination of parental rights is not viewed with favor by Mississippi courts. Everyone wants a child to have two loving and responsible parents, even if they don’t live together. Like the death penalty in a criminal case, termination of parental rights is final and irrevocable. Whether a client needs assistance defending their rights, or seeks to have parental rights terminated, getting good advice on the front-end can save them a great deal of pain, expense and time. Our team has successfully represented mothers and fathers on both sides of termination cases, and we stay on the cutting edge of Mississippi’s ever-changing termination laws.

Domestic Violence

Victims of domestic violence need special attention and special tools to help them recover. We know the toll domestic violence takes on families from firsthand experience, and our team can provide practical advice to fulfill immediate legal needs, as well as long-term strategies for separating victims from their abusers. The team at R+A will work fearlessly to protect you and your children and love you right where you are.

Annulments

Unlike divorce, annulment deals with marriage unions that were not legally valid. The procedure for getting an annulment is similar to that of a divorce, but there are special rules and time limits for annulments. Our attorneys can advise you within minutes which procedure – divorce or annulment – is best for you and your unique circumstances.

Post-Judgment Issues

 As you might hear one of us say, family law cases and the judgments that spring from them are like snowflakes – no two are alike. Because every case is different, there is no limit to the material changes that can occur, sometimes not long after a case is “closed.” We routinely help our clients negotiate post-judgment issues ranging from complicated financial matters to custody and visitation provisions, and our attorneys are just as comfortable pursuing judicial intervention through adversarial litigation.

Appellate Advocacy

 No matter what side you’re on in the appeals process, one thing is certain – having a knowledgeable legal team is essential. Not all attorneys have experience with the Mississippi appellate system, but ours do. In fact, many R+A cases have been taken to the next level and Jeremy served on staff with the Mississippi Supreme Court. Our experience equals your results.