Family law in Canyon County

What we handle

• Divorce, whether both people agree on the terms or nothing is agreed yet.
• Custody and parenting time, including the first order and the ones that come later.
• Child support, and disputes about how it was calculated.
• Modifications, when a job, a move or a child's needs have changed since the order was entered.
• Protection orders, on either side of the petition.
• Guardianship, where a child is being raised by someone other than a parent.
• Mediation, which we can handle in-house rather than sending you out for it.

Two things about Idaho worth knowing early

Idaho is a community property state. As a general matter, that means property and debt acquired during the marriage belongs to both people, and what each of you brought in or inherited is treated differently. Which category a particular asset falls into is frequently the argument, and it is worth getting straight before you agree to anything.

Custody turns on the child's best interests. That is a standard, not a formula. It is why two families in similar circumstances can end up with different parenting schedules. What moves it is specific: where the child is in school, who has been doing the day-to-day caretaking, what each home looks like, and whether either parent has made the other's relationship with the child harder than it needs to be.

How mediation fits

Most family matters resolve by agreement rather than by a judge deciding. Mediation is where that usually happens. Sarah Chaney holds an Idaho Family Law Mediation Certification, so it can be handled here instead of coordinating a third office into your schedule.

Preparing a case as though it will be tried is what makes agreement possible on decent terms. The work is the same either way: get the documents, know what the property actually is, and understand what a court would likely do if nobody agreed.

Where your case will be heard

Canyon County matters are heard in Caldwell. Ada County matters are heard in Boise. The counties run on different rhythms, and knowing which judge is likely to hear your case, and how they handle these matters, is part of what you are hiring.

Common questions about Idaho family law

Where is a Canyon County divorce heard?

At the Canyon County Courthouse, 1115 Albany St, Caldwell, ID 83605, in Idaho's Third Judicial District.

How long does a divorce take in Idaho?

Idaho Code section 32-716 sets a minimum of 21 days from the commencement of the action and service of process. Beyond that it depends on how much is genuinely contested.

Is mediation available at the office?

Yes. Sarah Chaney holds an Idaho Family Law Mediation Certification, so family mediation is handled in-house rather than referred out.