Are you struggling to decide whether or not you should hire a child custody lawyer? You are not alone. A lot of people feel like they should represent themselves in their child custody case; after all, they are the parents.
While there is nothing wrong in wanting to represent yourself in a child custody hearing, there are times that your personal strength and determination might not be enough to win the case in your favor. There are some do’s and don’ts that you should follow. Reading up can help you make decisions with confidence.
If you have been putting off hiring a child custody lawyer, here are some solid reasons to think about it again. Here are the reasons why you need to hire a child custody lawyer.
Your Ex Partner Already Has Hired One
You need to know whether or not your ex has hired the services of a child custody lawyer to handle the case. The reason for that is, if a legal expert is on the case and helping your ex out, you stand little to no chance of being able to win the case in your own favor on your own. The last thing you want is to lose your child custody case because your ex hired a lawyer while you chose to represent yourself.
The Case has become Confusing or Complicated to Handle on Your Own
There are times when child custody cases seem straightforward, especially when the two of you are in agreement about shared custody and how you will coordinate the days with each other. The thing is, this situation can change drastically and often without warning.
There is always the chance that your ex-partner might change his or her mind about sharing custody with you. There are many cases where one party might try to convince the judge that the other party is unfit to even have the kids overnight. These complications in a child custody case require someone with the legal expertise to sort out proficiently.
You Believe the Children are in Danger
If you strongly believe that the safety and security of your children is a matter of concern because of your ex-partner, you should take absolutely no chances at all when it comes to fighting off their chances of taking your children away from you.
In a situation where your children’s safety is on the line and you feel that there is an imminent danger from your ex-partner, you should call the police for assistance and consider getting a restraining order. Having a child custody lawyer will help you through the legal proceedings and ensure the safety of your children by giving you legal custody of your children.
If Your Ex partner is Trying to Keep the Kids Away from You
There are plenty of cases where one of the two parties decides to limit the contact of their children with the other. If your ex-partner is also trying to limit the time you have with your children on purpose, canceling visitations at the last moment or denying you your right to visit your children, it is best not to take any rash action by yourself.
It is better to hire a lawyer to help you out. Having someone experienced in child custody law is going to help you get the right amount of visitation time you deserve to have with your children.
Making any rash decisions without regard for legal ramifications can lead to the court favor the other party instead.
If the Overall Situation has Drastically Changed
When it comes to child custody cases, there are many instances where co-parenting between divorced parenting actually works out quite well. The visitation times are alright, both the parents coordinate their schedules properly and the children get to spend more than enough time with both the parents. While everything can be well and good, sometimes the situation can take a drastic turn.
The situation can change due to a number of reasons. Your ex-partner might be getting married again to someone else, either of you might have made the decision to relocate and you want to take the children with you, you might just be moving in with your significant other. These are just some of the situations which can complicate the whole process.
In case this happens, hiring someone who knows child custody cases like the back of their hand will increase your chances of coming out with a favorable outcome for your children and yourself. Learn more about the experts so you have the best representation in court for your child custody case.
If The Court Orders a Mandate for Classes or Treatment
There is always the chance that the court may order you to take some kind of anger management sessions or parenting classes. If this happens to you in the child custody case, this is not a very good sign. It can reduce your chances of winning the child custody case alone. This usually happens when you do something you’re not supposed to do in a child custody case.
You see, if they have asked you to take anger management or parenting classes, this is an indicator that you do not seem like you are at an advantage in the eyes of the court. Representing yourself in such a situation can seriously hamper your chances of being able to win the case.
Hiring a lawyer to represent you, who already has an extensive amount of experience in the child custody law, can completely ensure that you go through all the necessary sessions and come out of the case with a reasonable verdict by the court.
In some states of the US, all child custody proceedings require the parents to go through parenting and/or anger management classes. In such a case, you and your ex-partner will be required to go through with these classes but having a lawyer by your side in court will improve your chances of winning the case.