Family Law Practice Areas

Serving North Carolina since 1994

A Full-Service Family Law Firm helping Members of the Raleigh and Surrounding Community

The attorneys of Barefoot Family Law are proud of their ability to handle all aspects of family law in a variety of conflict resolution methods. The firm believes any questions clients have about divorce deserve meaningful answers. To provide these answers, Barefoot Family Law relies on the guidance of their experienced attorneys who understand the law and how it applies to the goals of their clients. Divorce is about much more than the physical, mental, and emotional needs of two spouses. The process carries both financial concerns and concerns for the well-being of your children.

Ultimately, the firm approaches every case by being responsive to your calls and listening to the details that make your situation unique. This approach allows Caldwell and Mariana to present the best solutions for you and your family and enough information for you to make an informed choice.

Representation in All Phases of Divorce Litigation

No two divorce proceedings are the same. Each case involves different assets, different life stages, different interests, and different people. Those differences can make navigating the divorce process challenging. However, the attorneys at Barefoot Family are able to tap into their nearly 40 years of combined experience in family law to help clients understand their rights and obligations in a divorce. During those nearly 40 years, Caldwell and Mariana have represented clients in the full range of divorce cases. They’ve litigated high-conflict cases that involved high-income families with substantial marital assets, and they’ve also helped amicable clients work towards a fair and speedy resolution of their marriage.

Mediation & Arbitration Services

Sometimes spouses contemplating divorce, separation agreements, and child custody arrangements don’t want the expense of high stakes litigation. In these situations, clients with representation from Barefoot Family Law can participate in mediation to reach an agreement. In fact, Caldwell Barefoot, the firm’s founding partner, insists most family disputes can reach a mutually beneficial outcome through such mediation.

In addition to representing his own clients in mediation proceedings, Caldwell regularly serves as an impartial mediator on behalf of other attorneys and their clients; he has completed over 700 mediations as the mediator for other lawyers and their clients and is grateful for the confidence that other lawyers have placed in him to help their clients bring their cases to a resolution. Caldwell has also served as an arbitrator for adverse parties. Unlike mediations, where Caldwell works with the parties to help them reach a resolution that the parties can agree upon, in his role as arbitrator, he first considers the evidence and legal arguments of disputed issues between parties before making the binding decision on the disputed issues.

Collaborative Law

The attorneys at Barefoot Family Law also have training in collaborative law – another option for parties who don’t want to engage in traditional litigation or conflict resolution. Throughout this process, parties handle family law cases collaboratively with assistance of Caldwell and/or Mariana. The parties agree in advance to act in good faith and open negotiation without the need for litigation. The process requires an open and free exchange of information with the focus on the overall needs of the family and not the individual interests of the spouses.

Related Family Law Matters

Below you can find a complete list of the specific family law practice areas the firm handles. However, if you have a legal question or issue concerning your family that is not on this list, please reach out to see if Barefoot Family Law can help or if they can help you find someone who can through its network of Raleigh and North Carolina attorneys.

Divorce
Child Custody
Child Support
Alimony and Post-Separation Support
Equitable Distribution (i.e., the division of property)
Mediation, Arbitration, and Litigation
Collaborative Law

Separation Agreements
Pre-marital and Post-marital Agreements
Domestic Violence and Civil No-Contact Orders
Custody for Grandparents and others with Interests in Child Custody
Child Custody for Grandparents and other Interested Parties

Reported Cases

Caldwell Barefoot’s work in family law litigation that resulted in appellate decisions can be found in the following two published opinions in the North Carolina Court of Appeals: