Dedicated Family Lawyers

• Divorce
• Child Custody
• Adoptions
• Collaborative Family Law Practice
• Family Law Mediation Services

Kennedy Law Firm PC have over 100 years of combined experience assisting people in obtaining divorces. Our attorneys have handled hundreds of cases over the years and will work diligently to ensure that your case receives the careful attention it deserves, whether your case involves substantial, contested assets or you simply need an attorney to assist you with the paperwork.

Divorces involve many potential issues, including, but not limited to, the division of assets and liabilities; obtaining orders for the custody, visitation, and support of any children of the marriage; and the extent to which one party should pay spousal support to the other party. Once a divorce petition is filed the parties will normally be ordered to attend a mediation session, exchange financial information, file a financial affidavit, attend a pretrial conference and finally attend a trial if the parties are unable to settle the matter out of court. Attorneys at Kennedy Law Firm PC will help guide you through this process so that you can make an informed decision about your rights and responsibilities at every juncture.

Flat fee arrangements available for some family law matters.

Child custody, physical care, visitation, and support are issues that arise in both divorces where there are children involved as well as when a child is born out of wedlock. "Child Custody" refers, generally, to a parent's right to be involved in major decisions impacting their child's welfare. Except in rare circumstances, a court will award joint legal custody to parents of a minor child. Once joint custody is ordered, a court will determine which parent should have "physical care" of the child, or whether the parties shall have "joint physical care", which refers to a situation in which each parent has the child in his or her care roughly 50% of the time. Child support is ordered based on the physical care arrangement and the child support guidelines, which are issued by the Supreme Court of Iowa pursuant to Iowa statutory law.

Attorneys at Kennedy Law Firm PC have extensive experience representing parents in disputes involving custody, physical care, visitation, and support. We strive to be zealous advocates for our clients while, at the same time, ensuring that the children are impacted as little as possible by the process. We will help guide you through this process so that you can make an informed decision about your rights and responsibilities at every juncture.

Flat fee arrangements available for some family law matters.

Attorneys at KKennedy Law Firm PC have been assisting prospective parents in navigating the adoption process for decades. We handle all types of adoptions, including step-parent adoptions, private agency adoptions, and foster care adoptions. Our attorneys have extensive experience working with the department of human services, judges, and other attorneys in navigating the laws and regulations that govern the adoption process.

Collaborative Family Law Practice is a modern way to resolve divorce and custody disputes where the parties agree to not litigate the issues in court but instead work collaboratively with each other, their attorneys, and other experts, to resolve any disagreements that may exist. 

Collaborative practice is based on the concept of mutual respect and full disclosure and seeks to assist couples in learning how to communicate and cooperate even if they are no longer in a committed relationship. Kennedy Law Firm PC has an attorney certified in the collaborative process and who is a member of the Collaborative Lawyers of Eastern Iowa .

Attorney Paul K. Waterman is a certified family law mediator and is happy to provide mediation services for all family law issues, including custody, visitation, child support, spousal support (alimony), and asset-debt division.  Paul’s mediator profile can be found here: https://mediateiowa.org/roster-mediator/paul-waterman/