Settling the matter of child custody in a divorce can be one of the stickiest subjects that a family needs to resolve. At issue or some of the central issues of your child’s life, such as who makes decisions regarding their education, religion, and what they can and cannot do. Also at stake is the central question of where the child will live, and what visitation rights will be granted.

Child custody in a divorce is a complicated issue in the area of family law. We’ll be adding some additional resources for you here soon, but in the meantime, we hope you’ll find some of the provided links to be useful!

Do you need a Child Custody Laywer?

Child custody law can be one of the most complicated topics in the field of family law. We’re dealing not just with legal complexities, but with intense emotions like parental love, fear of abandonment, and often resentment. This creates a steamy cauldron of complexities which often boils over to turn a bad situation into a truly unbearable one.

A good child custody lawyer can be your guide out of this mess. The best family law attorneys know all of the ins and outs of child custody law, and can explain them to you in a patient and sympathetic way – and in plain English!

The bottom line is that the right child custody lawyer can be the deciding factor in determining whether or not you get to keep your child!

How to Choose a Child Custody Lawyer

If you’re determined to win you child custody battle, your first and most important step is to find the right child custody lawyer.  Although everyone’s situation is unique, here are a few points to keep in mind:

1. You and your attorney should see eye-to-eye. A child custody battle can be long and drawn-out. Make sure you select someone you can work together well with. They should be sympathetic to your situation and agree that you deserve custody. Ideally there will be a degree of mutual trust and understanding.
2. Ask for recommendations. Have any friends and families recently been involved in custody battle, or are they well-networked in the legal profession?  A personal recommendation is often the best way to find an attorney you can trust.
3. Call the state Bar Association. Your local Bar Association can point you towards family lawyers in your area. In addition, the Bar can help you find out whether or not a given lawyer has had any complaints lodged against them, and whether or not the attorney is in good standing in the Bar.
4. Check their performance. As you narrow down your list, look for a solid history of successes, along with glowing reviews or other endorsements. Look for reviews online at sites such as http:www.avvo.com, or http://www.lawonline.org/
5. Interview the lawyer. Go to the preliminary meeting prepared with questions you want to ask, and a bit of information about your background. You can often quickly feel whether or not there is any professional chemistry.

More Child Custody Law Resources:

Avvo advice on when is it time to see a Family Law attorney?
http://www.avvo.com/legal-guides/ugc/is-it-time-to-see-a-family-law-attorney

Cornell’s overview of Child Custody Law:
http://topics.law.cornell.edu/wex/Child_custody

More Child Custody Resources and Information:
http://www.childcustody.org/