Finding a Custody Lawyer


If you are fortunate, you and your ex will be in basic agreement about custody of your children, and you will be able to amicably settle a custody agreement. However, most custody cases are contested, and even cases that begin amicably can quickly turn sour. In all likelihood, you will require an attorney to represent you, and to help reach a resolution that is in the best interest of your children. There may be hundreds of lawyers in your area who specialize in custody cases, so you may need to spend time weeding through a directory. The first thing to look for is that a prospective custody lawyer also be a Certified Family Law Specialist. The general field of family law also covers issues such as divorce, domestic violence, child and spousal support, division of property, and much more; requirements for certification vary from state to state, but in general, a lawyer seeking certification in family law must have devoted a percentage of his or her practice to this specialty (usually 25 percent), handled a wide variety of issues in family law; passed a written examination, as well as evaluations by peers and judges; and attended continuing education seminars in family law. In the state of California, for instance, out of nearly 200,000 practicing lawyers, only about a thousand have been certified as family law specialists, so you can narrow your choices considerably.

Any good lawyer will be happy to provide you with references. But don't just browse through the list; call a few references and ask about their experiences with your prospective lawyer. Be sure the references that you speak with had cases that are similar to yours.

Your lawyer, obviously, should have experience in custody cases that are similar to yours. He or she should also have a successful track record in dealing with judges in your jurisdiction. Ideally, of course, a court operates on the basis of an unbiased judgment, but if your lawyer has already won cases with your judge, that is a positive sign. If you know who your judge will be, ask about any cases that your prospective lawyer has argued before that judge or do some research and look up details on your own.

When you interview your prospective lawyer, be sure that the lawyer does not direct the interview. He or she will of course have questions for you about your case, but prepare an extended list of questions beforehand that you will ask the lawyer. You should ask about cost estimates, the estimated length of the case, and specifics regarding strategy. You should plan to interview at least three lawyers; ask them the same questions, so you can easily compare answers.

Also, make sure that you and your prospective lawyer are personally compatible. You will be spending time together discussing issues that are very personal to you, and you should be comfortable trusting your lawyer with such matters. If your lawyer is sincerely sympathetic to your case, then he or she will present that case positively before the judge. At the same time, bear in mind that, as in any custody case, the primary issue is what is in the best interest of the child. More and more custody cases are being resolved in some form of joint custody, in which both parents continue to be actively involved in raising their child. Your lawyer should not be overly aggressive, and should be willing to compromise if the parties move in that direction.

Emergency Custody lawyer NC at Allen & Spence Attorneys. Resolve emergency custody today by getting temporary orders. We have answered some anticipated questions so you understand how this legal process works. Our lawyer can help you seek an emergency custody order. Call us in Allen & Spence at (919) 863-4183.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6049805

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is a Legal Separation in Divorce?

When a couple gets a legal separation , it is a lot like a divorce. It will involve the same process of filing papers with the court to start a legal action. The court will then have to make the decisions about where the children will live, debts, and assets in a divorce. At the end of the process, the parties are legally separated instead of being actually divorced. This means that they are still married but not responsible for each other and what the other party does. A legal separation is the best thing to do in the last stages of couples not getting along. It can be a way of taking a break and finding out what each party wants. There is no reason to rush into getting divorce for some people and it is a decision that has to be well thought out just as the marriage should have been. Sometimes when people are on a legal separation, they will try and work things out. However, there are some cases, where it will not work and the parties’ involved want to get a divorce. One year aft
Read more

What is Reunification Therapy?

Reunification therapy in a child custody case is court-mandated therapy with the goal of reuniting children and parents and attempting to repair a parent-child relationship. Reunification therapy is a kind of family therapy.   It is often used in situations where a child is refusing to visit with or have a relationship with a parent.    A damaged parent-child relationship could be caused by any number of issues including, for example, parental alienation, physical abuse, and emotional abuse, lack of co-parenting, divorce conflict, and intense conflict between the parents both before and after the separation . Therapy may progress in any number of ways.   Typically the reunification therapist is working with a team that includes individual counselors for the parents and child.   It might start out with an exchange of letters while individual therapy is progressing before the parent and child are ever brought together.    When the therapy progresses to the stage where a paren
Read more

5 Different Ways to Find a Divorce Attorney in Your Area

Image
Statistics say that about half of all marriages will end up in a divorce. Depending upon your financial situation will determine your avenue to take when hiring a divorce lawyer. Make sure you do research on each candidate and be certain they meet your guidelines. If you are in financial hardship, there are a number of different ways to select and hire a Raleigh Divorce Attorney .
Read more