During a divorce or separation, issues such as child custody battles are inevitable. Each parent will do everything in their power to convince the court to rule in their favor and award them the custody of their children. This process can be quite messy and also take a toll on you due to the many legal complexities involved. Conflicts often arise when the two parties involved fail to agree on who will be responsible for making the child’s legal decisions and where the child will be residing physically. Either of the parents could agree to be the sole caretaker or both could jointly share the responsibility. However, If both parties fail to agree on these two situations, then the services of an experienced custody attorney may come in handy. The right custody attorney will have your child’s best interests at heart, help you to avoid costly mistakes, ensure a speedy case resolution and also negotiate on your behalf for a sufficient amount in child support. Finding a reliable child custody attorney may however be quite a hard task as such legal representatives are quite many in the industry. To simplify your search, you may need to follow the below guide.
One crucial factor you should take into account when hiring a child custody attorney is industry experience and specialization. Child custody cases are quite complex and therefore require extensive knowledge and experience in family law. You should hire a custody attorney with may years handling your type of case and a specialty in family law to be guaranteed the desired outcome. The attorney should also be confident with court procedures, have excellent negotiation skills and the ability to set up child support. To verify this, you should check out the attorney’s track record through which you will establish the volume of relevant cases he or she has successfully handled.
When choosing a child custody attorney, you should also consider the aspect of reputation. To be assured of a smooth legal process, you should hire a custody attorney that has a good standing with the state bar. Such an attorney will have your child’s best interests at heart and will also ensure that you enjoy peace of mind during the legal proceedings. You can verify this by checking the state bar listings as it will show you whether the attorney has faced any recent disciplinary action or complaints from past clients or has had his or her license suspended.
The other essential aspect you should look at when hiring a custody attorney is the billing structure and the legal fees charged. Some attorneys charge their fees on a retainer basis while others on an hourly rate. You should therefore identify the billing structure that will best work for you and settle for a custody attorney that uses that particular system to avoid any inconveniences. Your preferred custody attorney should also offer free initial consultations as that is an indication that the attorney is confident about the services they offer. It also allows you interview several potential attorneys and settle for one that you feel comfortable working with.