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24 May, 2022 by Lex
Joe is amazing at what he does. He is strategic, effective in his communication and always responds in a timely manner. He is very punctual, professional and is quick to answer questions/ concerns. He has passion for his job, compassion for clients, strong writing ability, creative, and has very good judgment. He knows the law!! Highly recommend Joe!
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05 Sep, 2024 by Phillip
Dianne is a exceptional lawyer. After many sleepless nights of wondering how my two boys were doing in a different state. She fought for me tooth and nail against all odds and came out victorious and brought my boys back to the state where they were born and to their father who loves them unconditionally. We as a family are soooo grateful for/to her. I can honestly say that she is a very special person and words can't express my gratitude
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27 Apr, 2024 by Thanh
Dianne was referred to me through Legal Shield, a service offered through my employment to help me with my Child Support Modification initiated by my ex-wife. We established a client-attorney relationship after a short phone consult in late December 2023. There were some technical difficulties submitting my retainer payment of $3,500 online into her preferred MyCase Client Portal. I ended up paying her first invoice of $1,423 by credit card for services she had already completed. Shortly after that transaction was paid, my inital retainer payment of $3,500 was finally withdrawn from my checking account. I figured I might as well keep it there since my case was still open.
Dianne ghosted me days before a scheduled telephone pretrial hearing with the Courts. My repeated calls, texts, and messages were unreturned until the day before the meeting! I was so stressed and panicked thinking that I am no longer represented. Fortunately, we were able to settle my case prior to our court appearance. But the opposing counsel also had difficulties getting a response from Dianne near the agreed deadline. We were able to eventually finalize and signed everything through the Courts on February 29, 2024.
Dianne has now ghosted me again after numerous requests to have her send me the final invoice for her services and still has my $3,500 retainer captive for nearly 2 months!! I'm not sure what is going on now. I see multiple 5 star reviews early on but this is not my encounter with her recently.
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06 Mar, 2023 by M
Dianne is very experienced and knowledgeable. I found her to be extremely compassionate during a time that I needed support, and she understood that there was a human in the equation from the start. I interviewed several attorneys and I found that Dianne was the most relatable, intuitive listener in the interview process. She answered my many questions about legal processes and documents, helping me understand the construct of what I was going through. I was more confident with her on my team, and while I believe no one wins in divorce, I think she helped me wrap my head around my own situation and take control of my outcome.
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09 Jan, 2025 by Colette
Shauna was unreliable in communicating to me. Her interaction style is to repeat herself numerous times, costing the client money. She is ineffective in negotiating. She was not resourceful in developing a plan regarding Probate, making me wonder what her specialty is. Twice, she told me that she would be filing a motion, and never did. This is unacceptable. She is unprofessional, often eating on the phone, needing to assist her daughter or her dog. She is not an effective Probate lawyer.
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02 Apr, 2023 by Lumumba sayers
Randy Paulsen is the greatest lawyer anyone could hire. He's compassionate and honest. I was on trial facing 15-32 years, and I was found not guilty on all charges. I'm grateful and would hire him in a heartbeat. He's the greatest lawyer I have ever met.
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14 Mar, 2023 by Infucious
I contacted Randy for representation in a criminal defense matter in Westminster, he was attentive and personable over the phone, and provided a very reasonable fee structure, so I retained him over the 8 other lawyers that I explained my case to. In the end Randy delivered a Grand Slam win which was a full dismissal of my charge. Honesty, integrity and transparency are hard to come by these days and I believe I received above and beyond that. Thank you Randy!
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10 Jul, 2022 by Anonymous
Yes. A third rate divorce lawyer can do great damage to your case…
I can honestly say that Diane Kaiser is THE worst lawyer I’ve ever dealt with. I came to her, crying, asking for her help with a very difficult custody situation with my ex withholding parenting time for 2 years with my autistic child and instead of helping me, she took advantage of me, adding even more stress to my life.
I think the worst part was, when I emailed her, it had been weeks, I was expecting to hear the details of my custody case settlement, hadn’t heard anything, then found out Diane had emailed my private legal documents to an unknown email address! She admitted she did this, then refused to contact this unknown person to destroy the documents, you know, how lawyers have a DUTY to protect your privacy? Nope. She wouldn’t do it.
2. In addition to all this other mess, after I hadn’t heard anything back on my custody case and had the audacity to ask, hey what happened? I get an ALL CAPS verbally abusive email from her. Talk about lack of respect for your client. This was par for the the course from the beginning, being disrespected and then even blamed for HER mistakes. She never took accountability for any of her mistakes, nor did she refund any money for billing countless hours for reading documents, then bailing on my financial case. How is this ok? Who’s working for who here?
3. Prior to that, Diane and her decades-long employed paralegal, were not up to par on technology, Dropbox. I had to coach her paralegal to help set it up for me. (I was billed for this too) I uploaded all my documents to get her up to speed on my case. Two months later, I met with her, Diane actually pretended that she had read the documents. I was suspicious and pinned her down. Turns out she hadn’t read them. She admitted to me that she hadn’t. I asked her to call her paralegal and the paralegal said she had been trying to print out an audio file? Unbelievable. She even blamed ME for not reading the documents. This was very egregious. I begrudgingly gave her a second chance, as I was potentially about a month away from going to court. Lucky for me, my case settled, due to my own diligence. Believe me, I would not have wanted to go to court with this charlatan!
4. I also hired her to handle an outstanding financial issue, she supposedly FINALLY actually read my documents a month later, she billed me for countless hours on this financial issue, but then after the custody issue settled, she announced that she was not going to do her due diligence to follow through with resolving this issue! She bailed, withdrew.
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28 Dec, 2015 by Anonymous
While Ms. Kaiser is honest and fair in price, she does not listen very well. My experience with her office was frustrating, as I would have to ask more than once to have anything done right, as if we we never quite speaking the same language. Also, she would become argumentative very easily, so that I felt I had to watch what I said. Only later did I realize the I was the employer in this relationship. If I could do it over again, I would find an attorney who listened. Perhaps then the court would have heard my issues, instead of the issues Ms. Kaiser thought they should hear.
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10 Nov, 2011 by Andrew
Diane is a well educated, hard working attorney. I've used her twice with great success. She is direct and to the point, with no B.S.. She will not give you a pity party, but she will face you in the right direction with out robbing you blind, she is fair in price and honest.
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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:
-
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.
