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Fearing the Walking Dead in Family Law

On Behalf of | Sep 3, 2015 | Family Law

Tonight’s post about Fearing the Walking Dead was written by our Marietta and Atlanta family law attorney, Megan McClinton.

Fear The Walking Dead, AMC’s spinoff companion to the hugely popular The Walking Dead, broke cable records with its season one, episode one premier. I was, of course, one of the 10.1 million viewers checking it out since I am a mega Walking Dead fan.

I’ve definitely been enjoying Fear the Walking Dead: it’s a precursor to the events of The Walking Dead, giving us a picture of society as the zombie apocalypse strikes. The story mainly follows a family of survivors. These survivors are a lot like the clients that The Manely Firm sees on a daily basis: non-nuclear, blended families, not zombie survivors (although, maybe some of that, too).

The “traditional” nuclear family consists of two parents and their biological children. Yet we all know that family structures, especially modern family structures, have grown way more complex. Those are the “blended” families: Grandparents raise their grandchildren, mothers remarry men with children creating a family of step-siblings,  same sex parents raise their children, children are raised by single parents. Many variations on family, though there’s not a zombie in the lot. (I could be convinced otherwise.)

Changes in family structures require legal processes such as legitimation or adoption, or termination of one parent’s rights or a change of custody, and also have to be signed off on by a judge. A judge will look at not only your “fitness” (your overall ability to parent, not how many lunges you can do), but also what is in the best interest of your child. These processes can be a long road to travel and can seem at times like trying to shoot your way through a herd of walkers.

Navigating the legal system definitely does not have to be as difficult as fighting off herds of walkers, though. That’s why having a competent and dedicated attorney is imperative. Family law can be scary or joyous, but either way it’s essential to have wise and knowledgeable guidance because your family is precious, whether it’s nuclear or blended. They are worth fighting the zombies.

Think of your attorney as your own personal Daryl Dixon. Your attorney has your back no matter what you’re up against. Walkers beware.

Megan McClinton

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