Family Law Attorney in Apple Valley

Guiding You Through Major Family Changes

When your family is going through a major change, you need more than forms and legal jargon. You need clear guidance, practical options, and a steady advocate you can trust. At Kennedy & Ruhsam Law Offices, P.A., our attorneys help individuals and families in the Apple Valley area navigate divorce, custody, parenting time, and support matters with care and focus.

We understand that you may be worried about where your children will live, how you will manage financially, and what life will look like in the months ahead. Our role is to help you understand your rights under Minnesota family law, explain your options, and work with you to build a plan that reflects your goals.

With more than 65 years of combined legal experience and a full-service practice that includes tax, business, estate, and real estate law, we bring a broad perspective to every family case. We work directly with you from the beginning, so you always know what is happening and why.

For experienced guidance, turn to a skilled family lawyer in Apple Valley. Contact us or call (651) 369-7749 to secure a consultation.

Support For Your Family Law Matter

Most people contact us at a time of real stress. You might be considering filing for divorce, responding to papers you have just received, or trying to resolve a parenting time dispute that is affecting your children. You may live or work in Apple Valley and feel pulled between family responsibilities and the demands of a legal process you did not choose.

We start by listening carefully. You can expect us to ask about your children, your finances, your safety, and your priorities. Our goal is to understand what matters most to you, such as keeping your children in the same school, maintaining the family home if possible, or making sure a business remains viable after the divorce. From there, we work with you to identify immediate steps and longer-term objectives.

We know that constant conflict takes a toll. Whenever it is realistic and safe to do so, we aim to resolve issues through negotiation or other out-of-court methods, which can give you more control over the outcome and often reduce costs. At the same time, we are prepared to represent you in court when that is the best path to protect your interests. Throughout the process, we explain what to expect, answer your questions, and help you make informed choices about your case.

Why Our Approach Works For Families

Family law issues rarely exist in a vacuum. A divorce or custody case often touches your home, retirement accounts, business interests, and future estate plans. Our firm’s more than 65 years of combined experience helps us recognize how these pieces fit together, so your decisions in one area do not create problems in another.

Because Kennedy & Ruhsam Law Offices, P.A. also practices in tax, business, real estate, probate, and estate planning, we can look beyond the immediate dispute and consider the larger financial picture. For example, we can talk with you about how different property division arrangements may affect your tax situation, or how to address a closely held business in a way that is realistic for both spouses.

Our founding partner brings a background in business ownership, IRS work, and financial matters. This perspective is especially important for clients who are self-employed, who receive bonuses or variable income, or who hold investment property. In those situations, how income and assets are classified and valued can affect child support, spousal maintenance, and the division of marital property.

We focus on practical, long-term solutions. That may include structuring support obligations in a way that aligns with actual cash flow, or making sure that beneficiary designations and estate planning documents are updated after a divorce. For families in and around Apple Valley, this approach helps provide a more stable foundation for the next stage of life, rather than a short-term fix that leads to future disputes.

Key Family Law Issues We Handle

Every family situation is different, but there are common themes. We represent clients in a wide range of family matters, from straightforward dissolutions to complex cases involving significant assets or disputes over parenting time. As a family attorney Apple Valley residents can turn to, we tailor our guidance to your specific circumstances.

In divorce and legal separation matters, we help you work through the division of marital property and debts, as well as questions of spousal maintenance. This may include reviewing the family home, retirement accounts, business interests, and personal property, and considering how each option will affect your financial stability. We explain how Minnesota courts generally look at these issues, and we help you evaluate settlement proposals with an eye to both fairness and feasibility.

For parents, custody and parenting time are often the most emotionally charged aspects of a case. Minnesota law focuses on the best interests of the child, which involves a number of factors related to safety, stability, and each parent’s involvement. We work with you to develop parenting time schedules that reflect your children’s needs, your work schedules, and practical details such as school locations and extracurricular activities.

Child support and spousal maintenance raise important questions about income and budgets. Our background in tax and business matters helps us address situations involving overtime, commissions, self-employment income, or investment returns. We explain how support is typically calculated, which factors may influence the outcome, and how different arrangements might affect your monthly obligations and long-term plans.

What To Do Before You Call a Family Law Lawyer in Apple Valley

You do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out. Many people contact a family lawyer simply because they need to understand their options. Still, a few simple steps can help you feel more prepared and make our initial conversation more productive.

Before your first conversation with us, it can help to:

• Gather recent pay stubs, tax returns, mortgage statements, and information about major assets and debts.
• Collect any existing court orders, written agreements, or legal papers you have received.
• Think through your priorities for your children, your housing, and your financial future.
• Write down questions or concerns you want to be sure we address.

You do not need perfect answers, and your thoughts may change as you learn more. Our job is to help you sort through the options and understand how Minnesota family law applies to your circumstances. A brief conversation with our attorneys can often prevent misunderstandings and help you avoid choices that are difficult to change later.

Our Family Law Process In Apple Valley

Understanding what will happen next can ease some of the anxiety around a family case. When you contact our firm, we begin by learning about your situation, your goals, and any immediate concerns. We typically review key documents, such as existing orders or financial records, and identify time-sensitive issues such as upcoming court dates or deadlines to respond.

We believe that you should always know where your case stands. Our attorneys communicate with you about important developments, explain the steps we are taking, and discuss strategy choices with you before moving forward. You can expect straightforward conversations about risks, likely ranges of outcomes, and the pros and cons of settlement offers or litigation.

Many family law matters in Dakota County are resolved through negotiation, mediation, or other forms of alternative dispute resolution. We prepare for these processes with the same care we bring to court, so you can participate confidently. If a hearing or trial is necessary, we represent you in the Dakota County District Court family division and guide you through what to expect in that setting.

Because we also handle tax, business, and estate planning issues, our family law lawyer can coordinate your case with related legal needs. That might include updating a will, addressing a business succession question, or adjusting real estate ownership. The result is a more complete plan that reflects both your family's needs and your financial realities.

Connect with an experienced family attorney in Apple Valley as soon as possible. Dial (651) 369-7749 for a consultation.