Choosing a good child custody lawyer for yourself can be a difficult task. You will need a good lawyer, who handles your kind of case, who fits your budget, who communicates well with you, and practices in your state and county. That may sound like alot but this article will help you find all of those things and there is a check list at the end to help in your important search for a great child custody lawyer. Bryon Szojchet Esquire practices in these Maryland counties: Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, Harford County, Howard County, and Montgomery County.
Now lets sort out all of the things you will need.
See If The Lawyer Fits Your Budget
It is important to consider what the fees are, what the retainer is, and if they offer payment
arrangements or financing. Prices will not be listed on lawyer websites. You will have to schedule a consultation to find out pricing for lawyers. You should take some time to figure out how much you can afford and how much you want to spend on a lawyer before making any calls. There are several law groups that offer free services to people who qualify.
Check The Lawyer’s Reviews
After figuring out your budget, you need to be sure that you are calling a good lawyer and that they will represent you fairly in court. Before you even make a call to the lawyer you should first look at their online reviews. Reviews show how people that have used the lawyer felt about how their cases were handled. The easiest way to check reviews is to Google the name of the law firm and see the reviews on the business profile. Having four or five stars is a good sign that it is a law firm that does a good job for its clients. You will also want to look at the number of reviews to see if the firm is new or if they have a long track record of professional service.
Make Sure The Lawyer Handles Your Type of Case
Before calling the law firm you should check the website to make sure that they handle your
kind of case and that they provide service in the state and county that your case is in. This information should be easy to find on the website at the top of the page or in the first paragraph.
Call The Attorney To Book A Consultation
Now that you have found a lawyer that has good reviews and services your specific kind of case and practices in your county, you are ready to call. The call with the lawyer before you sign up is called a consultation. Many lawyers, though not all, offer free consultations. Bryon Szojchet Esquire offers free consultations.
Things to Look For During Your Consultation
At the consultation you can find out what the lawyer’s fees are, but there are other things you
will want to look for as well. A consultation is both a time to ask your questions and to interview the lawyer. A good lawyer will ask many questions about your case, and be able to tell you what legal arguments you have and what the court process will look like for you. If the lawyer is very vague, does not answer your questions, or tries to rush you to sign up before giving you all the information you need, that is a very bad sign and you should find another law firm to represent you. Child custody cases are more than just filing papers and you will want a lawyer who helps you do the things that the court considers when making decisions. During the consultation, the lawyer should tell you about what you can do to make your case stronger. You also want to make sure that you can easily communicate with the lawyer. If the lawyer does this during the consultation it is a good sign that they care about the result of your case and will help you get what you are hoping for. This may seem like a lot of work but it is worth it to take the time to find a good lawyer and it will pay off in the long run for you and your child or children.
Finding a Child Custody Lawyer Check List
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Set a budget that you can afford (upfront, monthly and in total)
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Check that the lawyer handles your kind of case (on the website)
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Check that the lawyer practices in your county (on the website)
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Check reviews (google or elsewhere)
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Schedule consultation
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Ask yourself if the lawyer answered all of your questions, communicated well with you and made you feel confident about your case during the consultation.