Custody disputes can be incredibly difficult to navigate, both from a legal perspective and in terms of the emotions involved. That’s why it’s always worth enlisting the help of an experienced Austin, TX child custody lawyer. By getting professional help, you will ensure that you reach the best outcome for you and your child as quickly as possible. Here are ten ways in which your lawyer will help resolve your dispute.
How Can a Child Custody Lawyer Help in My Custody Dispute in Austin, TX?
1. Provide Legal Advice
The most important aspect of your lawyer’s job is to provide you with legal advice for every stage of your custody dispute. The legal ramifications of child custody are complex and can quickly become overwhelming, leaving you feeling hopeless and frustrated. Moreover, by allowing an expert to handle your case, you’ll make sure your dispute will be over as quickly as possible, limiting the impact it has on your family and your child.
Your lawyer will be there to simplify the process and resolve any issues as they arise, enabling you to focus on your child’s and your family’s wellbeing. We will help you understand the different types of custody arrangements available to you, explain the likelihood of achieving each outcome, and help you decide on the best course of action. In short, you will have a much clearer picture of your options and a solid understanding of the best way forward.
2. Develop a Successful Strategy
Once you’ve determined what result you want to achieve, one of your lawyer’s key tasks will be to develop a strategy to reach that goal. Your lawyer will help you decide on a successful, efficient approach and guide you every step of the way. This also involves preparing you for appearances before the court and for conversations with other professionals involved in the process. This ensures that you’re always on track towards reaching your preferred result.
Since we operate in Austin, TX and your hearing takes place here, there’s also a good chance that your lawyer will have experience in working with the judge assigned to your case. This gives you and your lawyer valuable insights and an additional advantage when deciding on the best approach to take.
3. Negotiate on Your Behalf
During your custody dispute, there will likely come a time to negotiate things such as visitation schedules or parenting plans. Negotiations on a matter as important as custody of your child can be difficult, no matter how assertive or stress-resistant you are. Your lawyer can negotiate on your behalf, using their experience, legal expertise, and negotiation techniques to ensure the final decision is in your favor.
4. Complete Documentation
When anticipating the challenges of a custody dispute, it’s easy to forget that there’s a considerable amount of paperwork to complete. Custody documentation, especially if an agreement is hard to reach, can be incredibly complicated. Completing documentation by yourself can take hours of research, and even a small clerical error could hurt your case.
Meanwhile, custody lawyers have extensive experience in gathering the required documentation. Your lawyer will help you understand what documentation you need and how to complete all the paperwork. We’ll also help you file everything at the right time and with the right people, eliminating the risk of making any clerical mistakes.
5. Gather Evidence
In some cases, it may be necessary to provide evidence of the other party being unfit to take custody of your child. It may also be necessary for you to provide evidence to defend yourself against unfair allegations from the other side.
Your lawyer will handle the evidence-gathering process, including conducting interviews, obtaining personal character references, and contacting expert witnesses if needed. The attorney’s position and experience also helps them view evidence objectively, predict how it will be interpreted by the judge, and present it in court in a compelling way.
6. Prepare Witnesses for Court Appearances
Family court custody hearings often involve statements from witnesses. These statements give the judge a fuller picture of the child’s situation and can have a major influence on the final decision. Even if your witnesses have the best intentions, appearing on the stand can be stressful and the situation may catch them off guard.
This is another area where your lawyer can help: we will prepare witnesses for court appearances and ensure that they know how to answer tough questions from the judge. Having attended dozens of family court hearings, your lawyer will know exactly what questions to expect, so you can be sure your witnesses will handle the task well and that their statements support your preferred outcome.
7. Represent You in Court
While it’s possible to represent yourself in court, it’s a much better idea to have your lawyer represent you. After all, it’s our job. We’re well-versed in court procedures, accustomed to addressing the judge, and adept at fielding difficult questions.
An experienced lawyer will never be caught off guard by a question or unsure about the legal ramifications of a statement or decision. Moreover, lawyers can use their courtroom experience to steer the conversation in a favorable direction or present a matter in a compelling, persuasive way when needed.
8. Offer Mediation Advice
Custody disputes aren’t always settled in court. In some cases, it’s possible for the parents or potential guardians to reach an agreement outside the courtroom, during the mediation process. In fact, many Texas judges require guardians to attempt resolving the dispute through mediation first, before allowing a court hearing.
Even though mediations happen outside of court, a good lawyer will still be a valuable asset at this stage. We will help you understand your options and prepare you for your mediation meeting, ensuring that you know what to say and how to say it.
9. Connect You With Other Professionals and Services
Expert witnesses and other professionals such as child therapists or social workers can be instrumental in handling a custody case the right way. Your lawyer will let you know when it would be beneficial to bring another expert into your case, such as a private investigator or a psychologist. As custody lawyers, we have our own network of trusted mediators, therapists, and other experts, and will help you access these services when needed.
10. Give You Emotional and Psychological Support
A child custody battle can be the worst and most stressful experience of a person’s life. When so much is at stake, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed or to doubt yourself. One of the most important things about enlisting the help of a child custody lawyer is that you can count on them to be on your side. Your lawyer will always have the best interests of you and your child in mind and will support you every step of the way.
Book a consultation at Evans Family Law Group in Austin, TX today. We can offer you experienced, caring legal representation for every type of child custody dispute. As trusted Austin, TX family lawyers, we pride ourselves on making complicated cases manageable and protecting the wellbeing and interests of children during every stage of a custody dispute. We will help you reach the best outcome for your child, yourself, and your family.