While any attorney can handle your case, a family attorney understands the personal struggle you face. Each person involved is experiencing a variety of different emotions. When people disagree about which parent retains custody or how visitation will work, anxiety makes the situation more difficult, especially for the child. If he or she is old enough to realize what is going on, emotions and frustrations flare even more. You need a professional who has experience in this area.
Choosing the Right Lawyer:
If it is a new situation, you may not have retained the services of a family lawyer. This is one of the most important steps you will take to gain custody of your children. Find someone with experience dealing with clients in your situation. For example, if you are a parent seeking custody of your children, seek out an attorney who has fought for a parent’s rights in the past and been successful.
There is no way to completely shield your child from what is going on around him. There are meetings that will take place with the family attorney when the child will be included. You want to find a professional who has dealt with children in the past. Some difficult decisions may be made and it is important to find out what the child wants and how he will participate in the case. To avoid unnecessary trauma, find legal representation that can make this as easy as possible for your child.
Keeping your emotions in check:
As a parent, you consider the custody of your child to be of the utmost importance. Along the way, different things will happen. Sometimes he can pull off a hit, while other times a setback could be just around the corner. It is important to keep your emotions in order. Your child does not need to see you experience the ups and downs of the case. They need consistency.
Your family lawyer knows how important it is to keep things under control at all times. If a difficult attorney-client conversation needs to take place, it is important to remove the child from the situation and allow them to take a break with a caregiver or loved one.
Clearly set expectations:
As soon as you realized that a divorce was inevitable, you probably started thinking about child custody and how it would work out between the two of you. Sometimes things can be easily fixed and resolved. Other times it becomes a real battle.
Early on, talk to your family attorney about the outcome you are seeking. If you want full custody without any visitation rights for the other parent, be sure to explain. If you are willing to compromise and try to work out an agreement where both parents have some custody, tell your attorney.