If you have a child with someone you are not married to, or if you are divorcing with your spouse, you may find yourself embroiled in a child custody case. One of your immediate actions in such situations should be to seek the services of a family lawyer. The lawyer will provide insight into the various avenues you can pursue to solve the issue. Below are a few other reasons why you should hire a family lawyer.
Negotiations.
The easiest way to resolve a child custody dispute is having an out-of-court settlement with your partner. A family lawyer will negotiate on your behalf and ensure that your interests are represented in the final agreement.
You think your children are in danger.
There are various reasons that you would think that your children are in danger. For instance, if your ex is part of a criminal gang or has been convicted of criminal acts in the past, you may fear for your children's safety. A family lawyer will conduct investigations into your claims and argue on your behalf in court. He or she may also help you get restraining orders against your ex.
Your ex has denied you visitation.
If your ex has made it impossible for you to visit your children, then he or she may be unwilling to settle out of court. A family lawyer may help you get temporary orders to see your children until the court resolves the child custody dispute.
You think you are at a disadvantage.
If you foresee that the court may rule in your partner's favour, then you need a family lawyer to help you turn the tide. For instance, you may think that your spouse will try to convince the court that you are unfit as a parent due to anger management issues, alcoholism or gambling problems. An experienced family lawyer will convince the court that you are dedicated as a parent.
Child support.
After a child custody case, the primary carer of the child can ask the other parent to provide child support. In Australia, the Child Support Agency determines child support. If you feel that the agency's decision is not fair, then you need a family lawyer to argue out your case.
The main reasons you should hire a family lawyer during a child custody dispute are to negotiate, if your children are in danger, if your ex has denied you visitation, if you are at a disadvantage and to seek fairness in child support.
Share19 December 2018
Hello, my name is Jenny and this is my probate law blog. I should say now, I am not a lawyer and I have not had any professional legal training. However, I do know a thing or two about probate. I taught myself a lot after the death of my grandma. My grandma left a lot of money and property behind, but unfortunately, she didn't leave a will. This lead to several family members staking a claim on the inheritance. I instructed a lawyer to act on my mother's behalf to ensure that she was not cheated out of her share.