Not many situations in life are as emotionally draining as parting ways with your spouse or domestic partner. But the challenges grow to a greater level when you have your children involved in the picture. In many cases, you and your former partner may not initially agree on sharing the custody of your child after your separation or divorce. Whether the disagreements stem from small issues or larger problems, multiple reasons may cause you to reach an impasse. In some situations, extensive discussions and mediation can resolve these disputes in an amicable manner. But in other instances, hiring a child custody lawyer is the only way to make your way out of such a situation.

When do you hire a child custody lawyer?

To help you determine exactly when you may require legal expertise by your side, here are five reasons why you may need to hire a child custody attorney

1. Your Ex Has Hired One

As mentioned above, it is not necessary to hire a family lawyer or a child custody attorney for court proceedings. If the parents are amiable and have the ability to find common grounds on their own, such legal services are often not required to contest cases in court. But it’s also normal for former partners to hire their respective attorneys out of caution and convenience. By having this expertise on their side, they can go through legal procedures¹ with a certain ease. This holds even in the absence of more extensive disagreements. If your ex has taken the same route and hired a child custody attorney, they could gain an edge over you in making their way through legal decisions and negotiating parenting agreements. That’s where it becomes critical for you to obtain an experienced lawyer’s services, which allows you to establish your child custody agreements without an unfair advantage to your ex.

2. Case is Complicated

Due to a variety of situations, you may need to file for child custody on the basis of your spouse’s behavior. Such instances may include but are not limited to neglectful parenting or abusive behavior. If you want to move forward with proving these claims, you will need the expertise of a child custody lawyer. Hiring a child custody attorney or family lawyer ensures that you can explore all of your available legal options with them to obtain custody of your child. From putting together a case to proving your claims in court, these legal experts can guide you through the otherwise complicated process with significant comfort. This makes sure that you can fight for the rights to have your child’s custody even in complicated cases. While it may be difficult to go through such an ordeal, a reliable attorney can make the process simpler for you and ensure your and your child’s safety.

3. Your Ex Doesn’t Let You See Your Kids

Sometimes, exes may want to go beyond being a regretful story from the past. In such cases, they can show their scorn in a way that directly obstructs your parenting duties as well as your relationship with your child. If your ex doesn’t let you see your child or threatens to do so, you should counter their actions through a proper legal route and enlist the help of a child custody attorney. By understanding your case, gathering evidence, and proving your former partner’s behavior in court, these attorneys can help you obtain custody of your child. Since these cases can be difficult to the point of being impossible to handle on your own, it is essential that you hire a child custody lawyer. This makes sure that you can address all the problems head-on and secure your relationship with your child.

4. You Do Not Agree on a Parenting Plan

As mentioned earlier, this is one of the most common yet still frustrating reasons for hiring a child custody attorney. When former couples don’t agree on minute details of a parenting plan, it can often lead them to a deadlock. When mediation fails, the only way to resolve this issue is to get legal help. In such cases, your hired lawyer can initiate a petition for child custody and ask for conditions that call in your favor. Since family courts tend to decide custody cases in the child’s best interests, having a strong foundation and presentation of your claims can help your argument. In some situations, the simple act of having an attorney by your side may help your ex see matters in a different light. Instead of going through lengthy court procedures, they may choose to take the path of establishing a parenting agreement through mutual negotiation.

5. You Live In The Different States or Countries

If you and your former partner currently live in different states or countries, it can be highly complex to reach an agreement when it relates to your child’s custody. Apart from the distance issue, this difficulty is bolstered by how different jurisdictions may have their child custody laws in place. To make sure that you and your ex can reach an agreement under these complexities, you need to hire a competent child custody lawyer. Through their extensive knowledge of family law and its nuances, these professionals can help you determine the best course of action for your situation. Moving forward with parenting agreement negotiations with established attorneys’ guidance has multiple benefits in such a scenario. In addition to protecting your rights as a parent, it improves the chances of reaching an agreement in a cordial way. In cases where the issue is not handled by mutual understanding, you can also follow it through court proceedings. Apart from these situations, hiring a child custody lawyer for the sole goal of simplifying the process also brings multiple advantages to the table. In addition to protecting your rights, these attorneys can also handle excessive paperwork, draw parenting agreements, and advise you on child support scenarios. This ensures you can handle the various aspects of a child custody case without having to jump through hoops. When you are already going through undue stress, this brings significant relief to your life and ensures that you can continue to nurture your child the way you want.