At Family Law Paralegal PC, my mission is to provide compassionate divorce support and effective legal guidance during difficult times. I am dedicated to helping families navigate the complexities of divorce and family law with professionalism and care. With over 30 years of experience in family law, I offer my services online unless specified otherwise in a contract. As a licensed paralegal and a member of the Oregon State Bar, I can perform limited services in family law that were previously available only to attorneys.
The Oregon Supreme Court recently approved the Licensed Paralegal program to address the increasing gap in access to affordable legal services. A Licensed Paralegal is authorized to perform specific limited scope legal tasks that were previously the domain of lawyers, such as handling divorce support matters and modifications of child support orders, including custody and parenting time arrangements.
However, there are certain matters that a Licensed Paralegal in Oregon is not permitted to handle. These include stalking protective orders, juvenile court cases, and modifications of orders originating outside of Oregon. Additionally, they cannot assist with premarital or postnuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements, qualified domestic relations orders (QDROs), third-party custody and visitation cases, unregistered domestic partnerships, or litigation involving third-party interveners. This restriction also extends to military dissolutions, military annulments, and military separations, as well as cases under the Family Abuse Prevention Act (FAPA), the Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities Abuse Prevention Act, sexual abuse protection orders, extreme risk protection orders, guardianships, and adoptions. For a comprehensive list, individuals can visit OSBAR.org.
To become a Licensed Paralegal, candidates must meet specific education and experience requirements and must pass an Oregon State Bar exam. It is important to note that Licensed Paralegals are not attorneys, but they can provide valuable family law guidance and offer specific services at lower costs to meet public needs.