Southern Minnesota Family Law
Dana S. Hamilton
Attorney & Counselor at Law
Serving families and children for over 25 years
Call 507 990 4030 For Your Free Consult25+ Years of Family Law Experience
Dana has spent her entire career fighting for families in Minnesota as well as Texas. She has extensive experience in Family Law as well as Juvenile, CHIPS and Wills and Trusts.
- Owner & Lead Attorney — Dana founded and ran her own law firm in Texas just as she has done in Minnesota — handling divorce, custody, CHIPS, adoption, and all other aspects of Family Law.
- Named Partner — Led the family law section at Northcutt & Hamilton, earning a named partnership through her reputation for thorough preparation and results.
- Public Defender & Prosecutor — Represented children and juveniles through the Minnesota Board of Public Defense, and prosecuted CHIPS and juvenile matters as an Assistant County Attorney.
- Juris Doctor — University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Law. Law Clerk to both the Property and Contracts professors during law school.
Minnesota Family Law Articles
Practical guidance on family law in Minnesota — written from Dana's desk.
The Divorce Process in Minnesota
A plain-language overview of how divorce works in Minnesota — from filing the petition through the final decree. Covers residency requirements, contested vs. uncontested divorce, property division, and what to expect at each stage.
Read article Custody & Parenting TimeCustody and Parenting Time in Minnesota
An explanation of legal custody, physical custody, and parenting time schedules under Minnesota law. Covers the "best interests of the child" standard, how courts decide custody disputes, and how to modify an existing order.
Read article Child SupportChild Support in Minnesota
How Minnesota calculates child support using the income shares model, what counts as income, how parenting time affects the amount, and what to do when support needs to be modified or enforced.
Read article Spousal MaintenanceSpousal Maintenance in Minnesota
What spousal maintenance (alimony) is, when Minnesota courts award it, how the amount and duration are determined, and how to modify or terminate an existing maintenance order.
Read article Property DivisionProperty Division in Minnesota Divorce
How Minnesota divides marital property, what counts as marital versus nonmarital property, how courts handle the family home, retirement accounts, debt, and business interests.
Read article CHIPS CasesCHIPS Cases in Minnesota
What a CHIPS (Child in Need of Protection or Services) case is, how the court process works, the role of the case plan, parents' rights, and what to do when child protective services becomes involved.
Read article Wills & TrustsWills & Trusts in Minnesota
How to protect your family and assets in Minnesota — what a will does, when a trust makes sense, requirements for a valid will, and how to keep your estate plan current.
Read article ProbateProbate in Minnesota
What probate is, when it is required in Minnesota, how the process works, the role of the personal representative, and how to avoid or simplify probate.
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