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24 Aug, 2019 by Elizabeth
Before she was appointed my attorney I had spoken to a family rights organization and they recommend that I ask any lawyer representing me if they would be willing to work with a family rights lawyer...well this I did and to my detriment with this attorney...she immediately became irrate and defensive screaming at me that NO, she would never work with a family rights lawyer because they are a treat to her livelihood. I was appalled. But at the time, I had no choice but to take my chances with her and her husband Matthew Dunn who also practices alongside her, vice versa. Upon arrival to her office, her secretary greeted me with this "warm" salutation. "You are the reason why CPS has your children". This greeting was totally unacceptable as she knew nothing about my case in which I'm totally innocent. I was greatly offended by her actions. It appears that no work is done on my case and no calls were ever returned. Her secretary was primarily giving me counsel which was not competent at all, she is not an attorney. My case was a CPS, I witnessed MY lawyers, both and her husband immediately responding and answering and or returning calls to CPS but never returning my calls nor setting up a time to discuss my case. They appeared at the time of the hearings only minutes before my case was heard. At one point, this was the same time when she called in less than a day before my hearing, by she I am referring to her secretary asks me if I have been working my services and that's it. Why didn't her office know? As a matter of fact, no services were offered and CPS were moving to terminate. Why didn't she know? I could go on and on about her negligent in practises in my case alone. Upon seeking to write this review...I realized that others have had similar things to report about her law firm. It appears that each time a negative report is made there is one positive one written directly after it opposing what the last one said to a tee. So if I was a reader I would take notice of it and use better judgement.
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03 Dec, 2018 by Anonymous
I hired Emily to finalize our adoption. The biological mom signed away her rights so it should have been simple. It took Emily well over twice as long as it should have. Even had CPS and CASA asking what's the hold up. The problem seem to me that she only worked on your case after you called to see what was going on and you get charged every time you have to call or have to visit. There was a couple of errors in the paper work that took time to refile and a couple of filed papers that should not have been filed at all. Now I'm stuck trying to get the new social security card and birth certificate because Emily thinks that's not her problem even though the county clerk an other attorneys say it is. So it took twice as long, ended up charging more than what was told it would be, and didn't finish the job. I was holding out on writing a bad review but since she won't return my phone call, I guess I'm done with her.
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06 Apr, 2018 by Amy
This attorney and her assistants in her office are extremely wonderful! They got my family custody of our 4 year old son. They handled this case (just like every other case), very professional and caring. Custody cases are usually really stressful but they made this case, a lot easier to handle!
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04 Oct, 2023 by Elizabeth camacho
They will twist the story around and let you do a very very long maximum sentence in prison over a very very very serious accusation that was so dam false to begin with. Even a dummy could read the fine print and have common sense. Beware! Just keep it moving and hire yourself a real good professional. But…“Instead they should be called the criminals and of the state for allowing such behavior of a dirty trial from the officers, detectives, to the jury and then to the judge….not to mention the cross examiners and cross examination they did was very questionable how can you allow such verdict without sufficient evidence let alone a minor was interviewed without permission of a parent. They will violate your constitutional rights from left to right but they will fight to keep themselves standing innocent at the cost of what?? An innocent man’s life. I’m sure this isn’t the first time they do something this dirty but I do believe more proper investigation shall be given in any case given that will jeopardize someone’s impeccable life…to be exact this all happened in the city of Montgomery County Texas to be Exact….
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25 Oct, 2020 by Lucille briles
Negative answers..
Attorney was late do to a video call.
Was not happy on court date . Was explained the contract an then word was not turn after judge signed papers. Don't like words o. Paper being twisted very un professional. Will not use them again. Unless the fix the problem.
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11 May, 2023 by Tony
• ***I WOULD STEER CLEAR OF SEAN IF I HAD IT TO DO OVER AGAIN*** Sean was hostile and disrespectful to me during my divorce proceedings and I was shocked because he was supposed to be my advocate during a difficult time in my life. In addition, Sean came up with higher child support payments for me than the opposing party attorney did and when I re-calculated the child support payments, the opposing party lawyer ended up accepting my calculations. Sean told me about a deadline for a response on reading and responding to documents from the opposing party and then called me to yell at me and berate me when I texted him that I had emailed him a full response. I did ALL of the reading and work on my case. Sean was hard to contact and the opposing party lawyer even accused me of not having a lawyer because Sean was so hard to contact. The worst part of it all is that I had a few very reasonable requests for changes to the divorce decree that the opposing party had crafted and had sent them to Sean to relay to the opposing party lawyer. Sean never relayed my comments to the opposing party lawyer and merely told the opposing party lawyer that I wouldn't budge and that we would have to go to court to settle the issues. The opposing party contacted me directly, outside of both lawyers and asked why in the world I would want to go to court and spend a lot more money?! I replied that I certainly did not want to go to court and I sent her the email I had sent to Sean with my requests for changes to the divorce decree. She read it and found the changes I requested to be perfectly reasonable and ordered her attorney to make the changes I requested via an email which she cc'd me on. Her exact words were “The requests Tony has made are reasonable, I don't know why Tony's lawyer did not pass them on to you.” I normally give out great reviews to bless people. In this case, I felt like it was my duty to warn fellow people who might be in a desperate legal situation. It is a horrible thing to feel like your attorney, who is supposed to be your advocate, feels like an enemy.
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25 Nov, 2021 by Anonymous
This man is not a nice guy. He will treat you second class. Read the reviews, read other reviews. You will see the difference.
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17 Oct, 2021 by Anonymous
I will say Mr.Lynch isn't very good at communication. I will wait two weeks and than email or call to check to see what is going on. He will update I have filed this and that, Still waiting on a court date. Now I am not sure if Family Court are short staffed or not but it pretty crazy the Criminal Courts is throwing court dates as fast as you can blink. I just want to know why it take so long! I will advise you to start checking in with your paying customers! Updates maybe not once a week but EVERY TWO WEEKS WILL BE APPRECIATED! We are antsy parents who are just wanting this burden to be handle and over with!
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22 Jun, 2022 by Tommy dowden
Do not go to trial with this lawyer. The opposing party ran away with the show and I lost my child. Any objections we're disregarded by the da and the judge let it happen. Other times I told lawyer to object and she didnt. 3 days trial over 10 grand later and the results don't add up. Sorry kayla, but im deeply unsatisfied with you overall.
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31 Jul, 2024 by Anonymous
She Doesn't Let You Talk She Tells You To Shut Up She Doesn't Give You A Chance At Anything I Was Put In Jail For Contempt Of Court For A Child Support Payment That's Not What It Is She Has No Soul No Passion She Favors Race She Doesn't Care If Your Sick Or Dying She Is Going To Make An Excuse She Lied And Said I Was Belligerent At Court So She Can Sentence Me Yet It Was About A Payment She Claimed I Missed There Is No Communication It's Like This Lady Heart Is Broken She Needs a Hug Or Go Back To Being A Lawyer It's A Power Move
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17 Jan, 2024 by Anonymous
I had an incredibly disappointing experience with Judge Cherami Jenkins during a recent legal proceeding. The mistreatment I endured from Paula Crockett, Stacy Roundtree, and Judge Jenkins reached such an extent that I felt compelled to record our conversations. Despite diligently providing all required information before the hearing, Paula and Stacy misplaced my documents, causing unnecessary delays.
During the call, I faced unwarranted criticism about my current wages, with Stacy continuously expressing doubts about the sustainability of my income and making baseless insinuations about my ability to support my family. Paula accused me of neglecting to provide bank statements, a requirement that was never communicated or necessary. Despite Paula's initial struggle to locate this information, I took the initiative to download six months of bank statements during the call.
Both Paula and Judge Cherami Jenkins demonstrated a lack of understanding of self-employment, insinuating that it allows for tax manipulation. They delved into inappropriate inquiries about proprietary business information, including travel expenses, payments to guides, hotel costs, and profit margins. Their criticism extended to questioning me about refunds issued in 2020 and 2021, overlooking the fact that such details are typically handled by professionals like my bookkeeper and CPA.
The recorded conversations exposed a condescending tone and biased opinions directed towards me. Stacy's relentless push for increased support payments, along with inappropriate comments about my attire, added to the unprofessionalism. Judge Cherami Jenkins, unfortunately, mirrored the negativity established by Stacy, leading me to believe that Stacy had influenced her opinion before she even joined the call.
In addition to this mistreatment, I discovered an overpayment of child support by over $7,000 according to the OAG. Seeking clarification, I received conflicting information from Paula and Stacy, exacerbating my frustration. The treatment I received, coupled with evident racial undertones and biases, is entirely unjustified and demands immediate attention.
Furthermore, the rescheduling of the court case and the subsequent request for additional discovery, despite all documents being submitted at the initial hearing, indicate a lack of consistency. Although I promptly provided the requested bank and credit card statements, the court's insistence on additional tax returns, especially for 2023, which won't be finalized before the hearing, raises questions about the court's fairness and procedural integrity.
During a discussion with Judge Cherami Jenkins, her advice to present all available documents raised the question of why this inclusive approach wasn't employed during the initial hearing. Despite presenting all available documents at that time, the court seems to have shifted its expectations, creating further frustration and undermining confidence in the judicial process.
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30 Nov, 2023 by Myboointexas
I cannot express how pleased I am with this judge. She truly advocates for the children. She will forever have my support. I absolutely cannot wait to lobby to keep her in office.
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29 Jul, 2021 by Anonymous
Charlie seemed to be great at first. His billing is ridiculous. I will not share my details of my case but I will share the fact that he refused to represent me after I went back to reinforcement. (I’m not even sure of this is legal). Charlie got a lot of money from me and left my children and I with debt and problems. that changed our lives until this day. His practice tactics are very questionable and to boot he could be incredibly demeaning. Why not shame a customer? Please if you care about your money, integrity, honesty , fairness. Don’t hire Charlie Bowes.
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18 Apr, 2018 by Derek
Charlie knows how to "over prepare" which is lawyer speak for bill padder. He caused a significant amount of stress as he would berate me and tell me to leave my home during the divorce when I was the victim. I am now divorced, living in my home which I own, and I have sole custody of my child. Terrible advice, extremely hostile towards me, and pads hours beyond comprehension. STAY AWAY
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31 Jan, 2017 by Grady
I was recommended to Charlie as a "go to" person given my need and desire to terminate my first attorney. Charlie and his team were instrumental in picking up my case and guiding me through the process to a very successful finish, not to mention the speed/timing we achieved throughout the process. Charlie was there for any and all communications that I desired, yet he allowed others to perform their job as to minimize my overall costs, so job well done.
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02 Aug, 2023 by J
Went many years ago for legal services. He seemed incompetent to information I presented to him. He also tried to jack the price up of the services AFTER I was told what the fee would be upfront. As others have mentioned in their reviews- stay away. Find another attorney.
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13 Oct, 2016 by Anonymous
I was accused of a crime that not only did I not commit, no one committed. A former coworker accused me of peeping into her window. I didn't know where she lived. I had never been to her house. I could show I was outside of the United States waiting to fly home to be at the bedside of my dying mother on the date of the alleged event. She had a history of filing similar complaints on other innocent coworkers. There was no way I was going to take a plea bargain. However, after 10 pre-trial hearings, at which I turned down a plea bargain every time, and after Pick developed a cozy friendship with the ADA, Pick announced that I would either take a plea or he'd drop me. The problem wasn't I couldn't afford to pay for representation at at trial, just that he apparently needed to help the ADA get notches on his belt. Stay as far away from this guy as you possibly can. He'll drain you dry and then try to sell you out.
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05 Jan, 2015 by Anonymous
Randall did not want to mention my ex-husband's previous IV drug addiction or his history of delinquent child support in our custody case; said "that's negative and judges don't like that". I can understand not bashing, but these things are relevant. Long story short, he refused to mention these and other serious matters in court - would only bring up that my ex was in foreclosure, and my ex ended up with the kids because I was a full time student living in family housing, I was single, he was married with a new baby, had a house, made good money, etc., etc. For the record, I have no history or drugs, heavy drinking, violence, no criminal history whatsoever, very little dating to speak of (certainly no men running through the house), no evictions or foreclosures, had a 3.7 GPA at Texas A&M (which was never mentioned); nothing whatsoever to warrant the outcome that I got. My ex eventually abandoned the kids at my house, so I have them again, but this should have, and easily could have, been avoided with appropriate representation.
Randall Pick seemed more concerned with befriending the opposing attorney (an attractive female) than winning my case. At one point he told me that he was going to discuss the case with her over dinner - on my dime. I reminded him that he agreed to correspond with her about my case in writing which could, and should, be done without the expense of dinner and drinks. The bottom line is that he was completely ineffective, if not harmful, in the courtroom. He is a former judge so I don't believe his is a lack of competence, but rather a lack of ethics.
He may be good for a traffic ticket, but fair warning to anyone who hires him for a serious legal matter.
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06 Sep, 2017 by Anonymous
I don't like to start things out this way but I don't have enough negative things to say about someone that should be in a professional role and trying to take care of people issues. I'm in the military and was summoned to court, I gave Kevin 3 weeks notice that I wouldn't be able to attend, a day before the court date he decided to act on my information, charges me for $442 to cancel the appearance and to call the other sides lawyer, he's a scam artist. 2k retainer and he's done nothing for me. Be careful and protect yourself, He'll pitch a nice introduction to you but you'll get the worst service and be taken advantage of. He's a con artist that won't return emails nor phone calls. His assistant returns emails after a week or so that are so vague a child could have done so. He doesn't remember specifics about cases and doesn't even seem to check his emails since he always has to refer back to them when asked "did you receive this form or that". This is my first experience with a lawyer and I dread doing so again, I fired Kevin after settling the matter myself with my ex via a one on one discussion, do not give this man your hard earned money.
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06 Jan, 2014 by Laura
I hired Mr. Henderson to handle the modification of my divorce which my ex husband filed. It was the first attorney I have ever had to hire. I fell into his sales pitch of all the steps we would take to ensure my ex husband would not screw me over. He made ONE court appearance. During the consultation he promised all these things we would do during that court appearance. Then the day came. He showed up late, and advised me to give my ex husband everything. I sent numerous emails and phone calls the following day to express my upset. I put in writing what I expected of a lawyer and requested that he either work with me or let me know he can not so I may hire someone else. One month he was my lawyer. That is it. One month. He made no court filings, no copies, no mediation was done or scheduled, nothing. When I finally had enough of the lack of communication on my case and realized how much my daughter was suffering by being caught in the mess I demanded to know the remainder of my $5000 retainer. Less than 2 grand is what they claimed I had left. 3500 was spent on what exactly? I cant even afford to hire another attorney now.
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14 May, 2024 by Anonymous
I did not like Pauline O'Toole. I did not like the way she treated her paralegal who frankly can work at a much better law firm without the abuse. Pauline also seems to like to stir up problems and create conflict to increase her compensation and fund her trips to Europe. For example, she encourage me to ask for full custody, which I later found out from a good and ethical attorney that full custody would be extremely difficult to get and would end up hurting my case, because that would show I am not willing to co-parent, and do the opposite of what is in the best interest of our children. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way and after wasting many hundreds of thousands of dollars. There are much much better attorneys. Hope you all find one with a good heart, who actually cares about your family.
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15 Nov, 2022 by Anonymous
All Pauline talks about is money. She has no concern for the family's welfare. We made several attempts to settle things amicably, but she attempted every trick in the book and kept breaking her promises, never giving me what I wanted. She simply worries about money and lacks morals. Because of her inability to work with others and the growing realization that she just cares about herself and her money, she keeps ending her relationships with various lawyers and legal organizations.
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24 May, 2023 by Anonymous
Reneka and Kary Gregg were put on my case last minute and did not do anything they were ordered to do by the courts in Montgomery County. I would highly recommend finding a different attorney as this entire law firm is a joke. Don't read and believe their reviews. they literally pay employees to put good reviews on there site to make them look better. Run as fast as you can.
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12 Nov, 2021 by Kt
Ms. Hayes was assigned to my case last minute by Bryan Fagan Law Firm, after my attorney resigned days before my trial. She was totally unprepared, unassertive, and lacked any evidence of properly preparing for my trial. As a disabled veteran on social security, I am still questioning how is it that I was billed over $10,000.00 for what amounted to horrible legal representation.
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02 Dec, 2021 by Anonymous
This attorney did not respond. Many of my emails/questions have gone unanswered for weeks and some have gone months without a response.
He was hired to help with a modification of an order but upon his first draft, there were errors and missing content which we previously discussed in detail both via email and phone.
I had to file a complaint with his law firm in order to finally receive a response and an updated draft of my paperwork.
Eventually, I had to terminate his services and he did not acknowledge this request. Two months later I received an email from him stating he may have to withdraw (and bill for that email). I had to forward my previously sent email back to him so that he could see I already asked him to withdraw.
Overall, I am very disappointed and feel that the value for service did not match the thousands of dollars I paid.
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15 Nov, 2019 by Anonymous
I would not recommend this lawyer. Her work was incomplete.
The lawyer failed to advise me of the status of the case, and failed
to engage with the opposing counsel. She seemed pre-occupied and passed me off to lesser qualified and less aggressive lawyers.
They would call on Friday afternoons to generate billings.
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12 Nov, 2021 by Kt
Over $10,000 was billed and then he left my case without notifying me.
My opinion, observation, and experience are that my case was not handled properly despite the overpriced bill I've paid them. Bryan Fagan Law Firm & assigned attorney was not prepared; was not up to date on my case details, and did not properly represent me in court, In fact, I didn't witness any effort or desire to win. After my trial, I reached out to the law firm for clarity - and despite four (4) attempts to contact Bryan Fagan Law Firm, via email and their chat services I have not heard back from anyone except their billing department.
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29 Sep, 2020 by Julio
On my search for an attorney to handle my divorce case, Mr Cooper represented himself as aggressive, proactive and facts oriented. During the 9 months preceeding my request for termination of his services Mr Cooper repeatedly choose not to use the voluminous information provide on his request and instead used generic information and erroneous references in the preparation of every document. I lost all confidence on his ability to prepare and represent my interests for a fair distribution of assets pre and post marriage date.
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16 Oct, 2023 by Amy
This attorney got away with $10,000 of mine which I am currently trying to recoup in a lawsuit. This attorney had no idea what she was doing and was a bad case of ineffective assistance of counsel. She attempted to withdraw from my case in court because she was afraid and had no idea what she was doing and made me look like an idiot. I would not hire this attorney, she promises things she can’t deliver.
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20 Apr, 2018 by Ken
Hired this Atty. For my son, facing an MTRP felony probation. Cuellar did manage to get him a bail set,which doesn't happen much with probation violations. So that's the positive.
Negative, Mr.Cuellar does not return calls, letters,etc... I didn't expect the best results,considering the hard a** judge, but Cuellar kinda all but promised freedom and that turned into a couple years of TDCJ .
Overall,I wouldn't recommend him,don't expect your calls to be returned and look around!
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25 Apr, 2017 by Nathan
Mr.Cuellar was my atty. on one felony case (MTRP) and 2 misdemeanors . In the beginning,was great , SOUNDING. "Let`s fight this" . Went from that to not returning any of my calls , Not letting my family know anything as a professional courtesy . Gave me his word he would visit me in jail (3 times) , Never did . Only returned a call when I mentioned the State Bar . Very unprofessional. A seasoned 'jailhouse lawyer' could have resolved the misdemeanors faster than he did. So I got ISF (90 days) for the MTRP , but couldn`t get started on that because Cuellar couldn`t/wouldn`t get me a court date to resolve simple,Non -enhanced misdemeanors ! There you go, choose wisely! Doesn`t even have a secretary to take phone calls, just leave a voicemail and HOPE he calls back.
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12 Aug, 2012 by Anonymous
I hired Scott Stevens of Stevens and Stevens over 2 years ago and he has completely neglected my case. He has seemingly ignored my case entirely only securing 1 court date over the course of these 2 years. He even neglected to contact the people I listed to help me win my case.
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20 Jul, 2016 by Anonymous
Attorney agreed to conditions on my divorce without my consent! Certain conditions were applied to my final divorce decree and when the other party broke those conditions concerning our children they were brought up with this attorney and his assistant and i was told there was nothing we could do. Mean while the other party is contempt of court! This attorney was always willing to go to court so he can collect a fee but never willing to fight what was right..what was ordered by the judge..
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17 Feb, 2011 by Lannie
I had this attorney for a bankruptcy that filed my bankruptcy and would not provide any answers nor explain anything to you. The bankruptcy was filed but did not provide information to the court. Therefore, it almost had the case dismissed before completing. I call her several times but it would be 3-4 days later before she call you back..She
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17 Aug, 2024 by Anonymous
Lori ran off with my money and stopped returning my phone calls. I am out $3000 and now I have to locate another attorney and start from scratch.
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FAQs
Questions? We have answers
What a Child Custody Lawyer Can Do for You
A child custody lawyer specializes in helping parents navigate legal matters related to the custody and care of their children, particularly in the context of divorce, separation, or other family disputes. These lawyers assist with determining custody arrangements, drafting parenting plans, and advocating for your rights in court. They also help resolve disputes over physical custody (where the child lives), legal custody (who makes decisions for the child), visitation rights, and modifications to existing custody orders.
Whether you're going through a divorce or need to change an existing custody arrangement, a child custody lawyer can help you understand your rights and protect your child's best interests throughout the legal process.
When Should I Hire a Child Custody Lawyer?
You should consider hiring a child custody lawyer in several situations, especially when disputes arise or complex legal issues affect your parental rights. Some common reasons to hire a child custody lawyer include:
- Divorce or separation: If you're going through a divorce or separation and need to establish custody and visitation arrangements, a lawyer can help ensure the custody order reflects your child's best interests.
- Disputed custody cases: If you and the other parent cannot agree on custody or visitation terms, a lawyer can advocate for your rights in court and help you develop a strong case.
- Modification of custody orders: If you need to change an existing custody arrangement due to changes in circumstances (e.g., relocation, changes in the child’s needs), a lawyer can help file a modification request.
- Parental alienation: If the other parent is interfering with your relationship with your child, a lawyer can help address these issues through legal action.
- Domestic violence or abuse: If there is a history of domestic violence or abuse, a lawyer can help protect you and your child by requesting restraining orders and advocating for appropriate custody arrangements.
- Grandparent or third-party custody: If you are a grandparent or another relative seeking custody or visitation rights, a lawyer can guide you through the legal process.
- Paternity disputes: In cases where paternity is in question, a lawyer can assist with establishing or challenging paternity, which may affect custody and visitation rights.
Hiring a lawyer early in the process can help protect your parental rights and ensure that the custody arrangement is in your child's best interests.
What Does a Child Custody Lawyer Do?
A child custody lawyer provides a variety of legal services to help parents resolve custody disputes and secure favorable custody arrangements for their children. Their responsibilities often include:
- Filing custody petitions: Helping you file the necessary paperwork to request custody or visitation rights and ensuring all legal procedures are followed.
- Negotiating custody agreements: Assisting in negotiating custody and visitation arrangements, often working toward a mutually beneficial parenting plan without going to court.
- Representing you in court: If you and the other parent cannot agree on custody terms, representing you in court by presenting evidence and making legal arguments to support your case.
- Drafting parenting plans: Helping you draft a comprehensive parenting plan that outlines the schedule for physical custody, decision-making responsibilities, and visitation.
- Handling child support issues: Assisting with related issues such as child support, ensuring that financial obligations are properly calculated and enforced.
- Modifying custody orders: Helping you request a modification from the court if you need to change an existing custody arrangement due to significant life changes.
- Mediating custody disputes: Acting as a mediator to help both parents reach an agreement on custody and visitation without the need for litigation.
How Are Child Custody Lawyers Paid?
Child custody lawyers typically charge for their services based on the complexity of the case, the time involved, and the nature of the legal work. Common payment methods include:
- Hourly rate: Most child custody lawyers charge by the hour, with rates ranging from $150 to $500 or more, depending on the lawyer's experience and location. The total cost depends on the time spent preparing documents, negotiating, and representing you in court.
- Flat fee: For simple custody matters or uncontested custody agreements, some lawyers may offer a flat fee for specific services, such as drafting a parenting plan or filing a custody petition.
- Retainer: Many lawyers require an upfront retainer fee, which is billed against as the lawyer works on your case. The amount varies based on the expected complexity and duration of the case.
- Sliding scale or pro bono services: Some lawyers may offer reduced fees or pro bono (free) services for clients with limited financial means, particularly in cases involving domestic violence or other serious issues.
It’s important to discuss fees and payment arrangements with your lawyer during the initial consultation to understand how much you will be charged and what services are included.
How Much Does a Child Custody Lawyer Cost?
The cost of hiring a child custody lawyer depends on various factors, including the complexity of the case, whether it’s contested or uncontested, and the lawyer’s experience. General cost estimates include:
- Uncontested custody cases: Legal fees may range from $1,500 to $5,000 or more, depending on the complexity of the paperwork and any negotiations.
- Contested custody cases: Legal fees can range from $5,000 to $40,000 or more, depending on the complexity of the issues, the need for expert testimony, and the time spent in litigation.
- Hourly rates: Lawyers typically charge between $150 and $500 per hour, with higher rates for more experienced attorneys or complex custody disputes.
- Mediation services: If both parents agree to work through mediation, costs typically range from $1,000 to $5,000 or more for the mediation process.
Always ask for a clear cost estimate during your consultation to ensure that you understand the total legal fees and payment structure.
Top Questions to Ask a Child Custody Lawyer
Before hiring a child custody lawyer, it’s essential to ask the right questions to ensure they are the best fit for your case. Some key questions to ask include:
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What experience do you have with child custody cases?
Ensure the lawyer has experience handling cases similar to yours, especially if your case involves complex issues like domestic violence, relocation, or paternity disputes. -
How do you charge for your services?
Clarify whether the lawyer charges by the hour, offers flat fees for certain services, or requires a retainer, and ask for an estimate of the total cost. -
What is the likelihood of success in my case?
Ask for an honest assessment of your case, including potential challenges and expected outcomes. -
How long will the process take?
Inquire about the expected timeline from filing the petition to reaching an agreement or going to trial. -
Will you personally handle my case?
Ensure you know who will be managing your case and representing you in court. -
Can we pursue mediation or alternative dispute resolution?
Ask whether the lawyer recommends mediation or other forms of dispute resolution to avoid a lengthy court battle.
How to Check the Credibility of a Child Custody Lawyer
To ensure you are hiring a reputable child custody lawyer, follow these steps to verify their credentials and experience:
- Verify their bar status: Check with your state bar association to confirm that the lawyer is licensed to practice and has no history of disciplinary actions.
- Look for family law experience: Review the lawyer’s website or professional profile to ensure they specialize in family law and child custody cases.
- Read client reviews and testimonials: Look for client reviews on platforms like Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, or Google to gauge the lawyer’s professionalism and success in child custody matters.
- Ask for references: A credible lawyer should be able to provide references from past clients who have worked with them on custody cases.
- Check for certifications: Look for lawyers who are board-certified in family law or have memberships in organizations like the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) or local family law sections.
What Should I Prepare for My First Consultation?
To get the most out of your first consultation with a child custody lawyer, come prepared with relevant documents and information:
- Court orders or existing custody agreements: Bring copies of any existing custody or visitation orders for the lawyer to review.
- Communication with the other parent: Provide copies of emails, texts, or letters regarding custody, visitation, or disputes.
- List of your child’s needs: Prepare a list of your child’s specific needs, such as medical care, education, and extracurricular activities.
- Timeline of the case: Outline key events related to your custody case, including changes in living situations or parental involvement.
- Questions for the lawyer: Write down any questions about the custody process, legal fees, and the lawyer’s strategy for your case.
By being well-prepared, you can help the lawyer assess your situation effectively and receive the best possible advice for protecting your rights and your child’s well-being.
