You do not know your family as well as you do. However, court proceedings can be stressful and costly if you cannot work with your co-parent.
Your attorney can help you find a custody arrangement that meets your needs. They can also help you gather evidence to support your case, including testimonies from outside professionals.
They Can Help You Negotiate
A child custody attorney can help you work out a custody and visitation schedule that is in the best interests of your children. They can also help you understand custody strategies, laws, and rights.
Sometimes, parents may not need to go through the court system to resolve a custody issue. For example, if both parties cooperate and agree on a custody arrangement, they can draft it themselves. However, the court must validate this agreement, and an attorney can help ensure it is legally sound.
If you fight for custody, your lawyer can help you prepare for mediation or a trial. This involves preparing your facts, reviewing the law, and matching wits with the other party’s attorney to ensure you have the most advantageous outcome possible. Your attorney can also help you prepare for a custody evaluator or guardian ad litem if those services are needed.
They Can Help You Represent Yourself
Although you can represent yourself in a child custody case, it’s not generally a good idea. An experienced attorney can guide you through gathering evidence, filing paperwork, negotiating results, and making court appearances.
Custody hearings can become heated, and your co-parent may try to skew the court’s decision by bringing up skeletons in your closet, like past drug or alcohol abuse or even a record of arrest. You need someone to help you explain why these events shouldn’t impact the judge’s final decision.
Suppose you don’t have money to hire an attorney. In that case, you can request free legal representation through your state bar association or, provided you meet specific income requirements, a pro bono program. However, these services typically have a waiting list and require much work. Contact your local family court or supreme court for self-help resources. They may have a law library or staff attorneys to assist you.
They Can Help You Defend Your Rights
A judge will examine several factors to determine custody arrangements in your child’s best interests, including finances, living conditions, and familial bonds. A lawyer can help you present evidence to support your position.
Suppose you are concerned that your ex is violating a custody agreement. In that case, your attorney can file a contempt motion to prevent them from relocating the child or reducing their visitation rights. Your attorney can also assist you in modifying an existing order if circumstances have changed since it was established.
If you and your co-parent cannot agree on a custody arrangement, the process will likely require mediation. An experienced child custody attorney Cypress TX can help negotiate a solution acceptable to both parties. A lawyer can also provide insight into how the judge will perceive your case based on their experience. They can also help you find resources to stay organized, including a parenting plan template, custody schedules, expense trackers, etc.
They Can Help You Modify an Existing Custody Agreement
Parents with a child custody agreement can sometimes modify it, but the judge must approve it. You must prove that there has been a substantial change of circumstances and that the modification is in the children’s best interests. Your attorney can help you complete the appropriate paperwork and present your case to the court.
The situation with your child may change as they grow up, and a different arrangement might work better for them at that stage in their life. There might also be new reasons you want to switch accounts, such as the other parent’s unhealthy or unsafe lifestyle. Your attorney can help you assemble witnesses and demonstrate why the requested change is in the kids’ best interests.
A judge will review all of the evidence in your case, including a professional custody evaluation. The judge will consider your testimony and the opinions of other witnesses, such as teachers, neighbors, and friends. They will also consider your child’s preferences if they are mature enough to express them.
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