If you have found yourself facing a child custody case, whether you were previously married to the other parent or not, you might want to speak with a family law attorney. While you do have the right to represent yourself in this case, you might not want to after reading through the following points. It is important to make sure that you are taking the time to consider why it may be best for you to have a family attorney by your side so you can start to find the best one for your needs.
Fight For Time
The main issue for many parents is that they do not want to give up too much of their time with their children. While it is understandable that you want all of the time that you can get, more and more courts are now favoring split parenting time if the situation allows for it. If you feel as though the other parent is not fit or is not capable of having that responsibility, then you can sue for full custody. You would be the custodial parent and the other parent can get weekend visitation or even supervised visitation through the courts if there is a drug, alcohol, neglect, or abuse issue to be concerned about. Since there is so much on the line, you want to make sure that you have an attorney with you who will be able to properly address all of these concerns with the judge.
Papers Properly Filed
You could think that you and the other parent have come to an agreement, but if the proper papers are not filed correctly, you do not have any legal standing should the other parent back out of the agreement. For example, if the other parent just suddenly refused to bring the children home to you as agreed, you could have a hard time getting a judge to hold him or her in contempt. A family attorney will ensure that all of the necessary paperwork will be filed so you and your children are protected.
Once you are ready to start consulting with an attorney, you will want to find a few that you can set up consultations with. Some attorneys will offer a free consultation, while others may charge a small fee for their time. Even if you have to pay a fee, it is well worth it. You want to have a chance to sit down with a couple of attorneys to briefly discuss your situation. This will allow you to get an idea of how they would handle your case for you, which will help you decide which attorney to retain.
For additional information, reach out to family law attorneys like Scott Lyons Attorney at Law.
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