Nearly 750,000 divorces occur each year in the United States alone. With divorce comes a splitting of assets, determining who is entitled to what.
In ideal circumstances, the couple can divide things up amicably. Unfortunately, circumstances aren’t always ideal. Feelings get hurt, people struggle to decide who owns something, and the parties decide to go to court.
This process gets more complicated, and often fiercer when a child is involved. The reasons to hire the best child custody lawyer tend to stack as a custody case gets more complex.
We’ll talk about some of the many reasons to hire a child custody lawyer in this article.
1. You Think Your Child is in Danger
You should always get a child custody attorney if you think your child is in danger. Even if you aren’t sure or can’t prove anything, consult a lawyer. If there’s any chance you’re right, you need to sue for custody.
If you can prove that abuse is occurring or has occurred and that the other person is a danger to the child, the court can revoke visitation rights, order supervised visitations, order the abuser to take classes, or attend counseling, and a few other things, as well.
Keep in mind that even with the best child custody lawyer, this might be an uphill battle. Child endangerment and abuse are difficult to prove and the court tries not to make choices based on unsubstantiated claims.
2. The Other Parent Hires an Attorney
If you learn that the other parent has already hired an attorney, you should hire one too. It’s possible that the other parent will still want to end things on friendly terms, but hiring a lawyer gives them an edge.
Having a professional on your side who’s well-versed in family law will help you navigate the situation. The important thing to know about the law is that it’s based on precedent, and there’s usually something that can help you.
You may think you and your ex had the weirdest relationship in the world, but we can almost guarantee that somebody else went through something similar. There are legal precedents for almost any situation you can imagine.
3. Your Case has Gotten Complicated
Sometimes, people choose to consult lawyers because their situation became a little more confusing than they thought it would. Any number of factors can complicate a child custody case.
For instance, maybe you or your partner have decided to move out of the state. This makes the issue of child custody significantly more difficult because it makes regular visitation a far less realistic option.
Having a child with special needs also complicates things. When the child has significant medical or environmental needs, the circumstances required to keep them healthy often change.
When to Hire a Child Custody Lawyer
Among the hardest parts of getting a divorce, both mentally and emotionally, is hiring a child custody lawyer. Hopefully, things won’t have to come to this, but things can change quickly in a court case, and a child custody case is no exception.
We’ve discussed some of the reasons to hire a child custody lawyer in this article, but there are others that we couldn’t get to. If you want more information and advice on various lifestyle topics please visit our site.
