Divorce is an emotional situation that not only affects you but also the kids. A lot of times, the couples have non stop quarreling and the only way to resolve it is to hire a child custody lawyer who can understand the kind of situation you and your kids are going through. To find a good child custody lawyer, you will need to know how to ask questions to find out about his ability in handling your case.
How Much Experience You Have in Child Custody?
Firstly, you need to make sure that the attorney works mostly on child custody cases and not unrelated cases like criminal defense cases. A lawyer that is familiar with criminal defense laws will not be helpful towards cases that involve child custody laws. You also need to check the level of experience can be based on the number of practicing experience and the number of cases he has handled. You will want to hire someone who has at least 3 years of experience or has tried at least 30 child custody cases.
Hiring a lawyer that has experience in going to trial is important even if you and your spouse have decided to settle the case without trial. Unexpected arguments can arise halfway and you may be forced to take the case to trial. Many Tulsa child custody lawyers advertise themselves as professional but they have no experience in trying a single case. Having a straight record of winning in many cases is the evidence that the lawyer can handle your case.
What is Your Approach to the Child Custody Case?
Child custody involves fierce fights in between both parties so you will want to find an attorney that is aggressive. An attorney that is not enthusiastic will not be able to produce an effective result for the case. If you want to negotiate a settlement, you should look for a persuasive attorney that knows how to use the right strategy to encourage an amicable settlement with the other party.
Besides, you should ask about the person that will be actually handling your case. In some law firms, you see the actual attorney in initial consultation but a different person who is the assistant will handle the case afterwards. Ideally, the lawyer that you meet in appointment should be the one that will handle your case. The lawyer should let you know how much time he will spend on handling your case and how he is going to communicate with you on the progress.
How Much Expenses are Expected for the Child Custody Case?
Child custody lawsuits can be costly so you should set a budget prior to shopping around. The cost will depend on the attorney you hire and whether it is a contested or uncontested child custody case. Typically, it costs anywhere from $3,000 – $40,000. You will also have to take into account other fees such as custody evaluation fee, court filing fees, and etc. It is a red flag if the lawyer did not tell you about the cost. The best option is to negotiate a settlement if you don’t have the financial resources to do this.
