Louisiana Child and Spousal Support Lawyer

Child Support and Spousal Support in Metairie and the New Orleans metro

Family law issues that involve money are often highly contested between the involved parties. At the law firm of Phyllis C. Coci, Attorney at Law, we provide clients with tailored representation in child support and spousal support matters. With over 30 years of experience handling these types of cases, attorney Phyllis Coci is dedicated to representing clients in child and spousal support cases. From a Metairie law office, we help people in Jefferson and the entire New Orleans metro area.

Child Support

Whether they are going though a divorce or were never married, parents are legally obligated to financially support their children. The amount of support that will be ordered is typically calculated using guidelines set forth in Louisiana statutes, though couples could decide to set higher amounts, or the courts could deviate from the child support guidelines in extreme circumstances. Such factors the court could consider include:

• Medical expenses or other special needs of the child or the parent that is paying child support payments
• Disability (permanent or temporary) of the parent that is paying support
• Community debt of the parents
• Parental income that, when combined, is less than those provided in the guidelines

The court focuses on ordering an amount that is in the children's best interests, whether that takes into consideration these factors, other factors or strictly follows the guidelines.

Spousal Support

Sometimes called alimony, spousal support is the amount of money paid from one spouse to the other in order to support his or her lifestyle after a divorce. Either party may be ordered to pay permanent spousal support, though spousal support payments are not ordered in every divorce situation. Spousal support payments do not take the place of child support payments, however. It is also important to keep in mind that, under Louisiana law, when a spouse is not at fault in the dissolution of the marriage and is seeking permanent spousal support, the amount awarded cannot exceed one-third of the other spouse's income unless the payment is paid as a lump sum instead of a monthly payment.

There are many factors that are taken into consideration by the courts when determining the proper amount of spousal support, including:

• Income of the parties
• Means and earning capacity of the parties
• Age of the parties
• Length of the marriage
• Fault in the dissolution of the marriage
• Tax consequences

Contact Us

For more information on Louisiana child support and spousal support matters, contact an attorney at our firm today. We are available Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and evening appointments are available by request. Contact us today to discuss your legal needs with a member of our firm.

Phyllis C. Coci, Attorney at Law
3422 Cleary Avenue
Suite E
Metairie, LA 70002

Telephone: 504-889-0292
E-mail

The law firm of Phyllis C. Coci, Attorney at Law, serves clients in Southeast Louisiana, including New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, Gretna, Marrero, Harvey, Covington, Mandeville, LaPlace, Chalmette, and the Parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. Tammany, St. Charles, Tangipahoa and St. John the Baptist.