Many years ago, my wife and I decided that it would be better if we separated to live happier lives. What I didn’t know was that she was planning to take my children away from me entirely. When I found out about this annoying dilemma, I was lost, having no idea where to start. I knew I needed a lawyer, but how can I find a lawyer, especially one to whom I should trust the future of my children?
Luckily, I ended up choosing the perfect attorney for my business and negotiating an exclusive custody agreement. I followed a few simple steps when it was time to choose a lawyer, and I’ll show you here so that any parent in the midst of a child custody battle doesn’t have to worry about the most important step to find a lawyer.
Step 1: The first step in finding the right child custody attorney is to search your local yellow pages for law firms specializing in child custody. It is very important to find a lawyer specializing in child custody as these types of cases are very specific. In a very specific case, you need a very specific attorney. Never forget that your children’s future is at stake, so always be vigilant.
Step 2. After searching the yellow pages for specific child custody lawyer, contact your local family court and ask for advice. It is a very good idea to choose a lawyer who handles contentious cases in the same courtroom as your case, because the judge will likely have little relationship with your lawyer.
Step 3: Once you feel like you’ve put together a reliable list of attorneys – roughly 5-10 people – you’re ready to start organizing your meetings. Before making an appointment, be sure to sit down for twenty minutes and think about all the case-related questions you have for your lawyer. It doesn’t hurt to ask some of these questions before paying a lawyer. These questions will also give you the opportunity to compare lawyers.
Step 4: Once you’ve met all of your candidates and asked the questions you wrote in step 4, it’s time to make your final choice. Your budget is also important in this decision, but make sure that you are comfortable with your choice, because it changes your future. Good lawyers often win cases, so this decision is critical.
Step 5: Now that you have chosen your lawyer, you are well on your way to winning the battle for your children. Be sure to tell your lawyer anything that you think will help your case. You also need to know what might affect your case. The more your lawyer knows, the more prepared he can be. You don’t want your partner to be your lawyer’s blind side in the courtroom because the judge will not approve of it.