TIPS FOR HIRING A CUSTODY ATTORNEY

When it comes to your children, you need to make sure that you are working with someone who knows the laws pertaining to custody and how they will affect your and your situation.  If you need to hire an attorney for a contested custody case, it is important to consider the following:

• Do they practice family law exclusively? Your children are too important to hire an attorney who dabbles in several practice areas.

• Do they have significant custody trial experience? If most of an attorney’s cases are uncontested divorce or drafting pre-nuptial agreements, you don’t want them handling your complicated custody trial.

• How many cases similar to yours have they handled? An attorney may be very experienced with divorce with children but have little to no experience with contested adoptions or custody cases in Juvenile Court.

• Do they seem too eager to rush into court? It’s important to have a strong advocate, but an attorney who is quick to drive up legal fees by encouraging a client to run to court with every issue and concern is prioritizing their own pocketbook over your family.  A good attorney will draw on their experience to prudently advise you on which issues are best to bring in front of a judge and which are best to settle.