Anyone who has children and is receiving child support from an ex-spouse or partner may wish to find a child support lawyer. These are family lawyers who specialize in child support law and know your legal rights. Anyone can hire a child support attorney, but they are instrumental if you are struggling to get support from your ex-partner or are in the middle of a divorce case where children are involved or in a child custody dispute. If this sounds like your situation and you seek legal advice, you’ll want to find a child support attorney near you.
According to the American legal system, both parents are responsible for financially supporting their children in the event of separation. Usually, the non-custodial parent must make child support payments to the custodial parent to help fund the child's needs. Child support specialists are legal professionals who practice family law and specialize in child support orders and payments. They have a thorough understanding of all legal rights and responsibilities surrounding this. They know how much child support is legally determined, how often it is paid to the custodial parent, and the payment methods available. Therefore, they play an essential role in finding solutions to child support issues and disputes between ex-partners.
The primary role of a child support attorney near me is to help arrange the correct child support payments following a separation. They can work on either side of the case. Generally, the custodial parents will have difficulties with the payments they're receiving or not receiving or want more money from their ex-partners. Conversely, the non-custodial parent typically wants to know their options for making payments and their legal obligation to provide, often wishing to reduce their child support payments. A child support lawyer helps with both of these situations by:
Calculating the legal child support amount that the non-custodial parent is required to pay with the court's approval;
Negotiating either an increase or decrease in the child support payments on your behalf;
Explaining the legal issues you can expect at the different stages of the proceedings and what challenges might crop up;
Preparing you for hearings in cases that go to court and representing you in front of the judge.;
If you have gone through a separation with child custody involved, you may hire a child support lawyer near you to help ensure a fair child support order is agreed upon. However, this isn't a necessity, and many view it as an unwarranted cost. However, they can protect your legal rights and ensure that any children involved get support that covers their basic needs. In particular, hiring a child support attorney near you will be beneficial if any of the below situations apply:
If you live in a heavily populated area or even a small city, there will be many child support attorneys near you from which to choose. Consequently, it is essential to choose carefully so you have the best chance of securing a favorable outcome. Only a few attorneys may be near you if you live in a rural or lightly populated area. Even so, choose wisely. Choosing a poor firm can have negative consequences for your case. Here are some of the factors you should consider when deciding child support law firms to work with:
Good Reviews: Some lawyers will aggravate a case so that it goes to court to bump up your legal fees. Going with a child support attorney near you who comes highly recommended and has a wealth of positive reviews can indicate that they are genuinely focused on finding a good outcome.
Experience: When choosing lawyers child support, experience matters. Search for a law firm that has successfully handled many child support cases before. In particular, try appointing an attorney experienced in working on similar cases.
Cost: Hiring lawyers for child support to work a child custody case can be expensive, and those who charge hourly fees can be hard to plan for financially. Always ask for their pricing at the initial consultation, and only work with a law firm within your budget. Some, in exceptional circumstances, may consider a flat fee.
The cost of a child support lawyer near you will vary drastically between law firms, depending on experience and your case's complexity. Some will charge by the hour, whereas others offer a fixed fee for handling the entire case. Therefore, it is difficult to say how much hiring an attorney will cost. Hourly fees typically range from $100 to $500, with the average non-contest case costing between $2,500 and $5,000. However, any contested cases can quickly end up costing $25,000+.
It is common for attorneys child support to charge for consultations. This is often prorated from their hourly fee, while other law firms may charge a fixed consultation fee. Other child support lawyers near me may charge no fees and take your initial meeting as an opportunity for both of you to determine the suitability of working together. There is no standard way; each firm has its policies and procedures.
Child support is money that one parent sends to the custodial parent to go toward care for the child. This payment can cover things such as child care costs, health and medical care, education, and other basic needs.
How often the noncustodial parent pays child support depends on the child support order. It is generally paid monthly, but some courts may order the payment to be sent out weekly, bi-weekly, or bi-monthly.
Yes. U.S. law states that both parents need to support their children regardless of their marital status. However, before the judge issues the order, the court will need proof that the alleged father is the biological parent.