Legal Question in Family Law in Michigan
No lawyer
I have been tring to obtain custody of my son for 3 years now. I know that if I were to obtain a lawyer I would be able to obtain custody. When I obtained joint custody, I was told by the laywer I had then that I could get full custody if I wanted it, but I decided that my son needed his mother in his life. Scince then my son's mother has had 3 cases of child negleact opened and then closed on her months latter, has had the police file sveral reports of domestice violence on her and her husband, and has been diagnosed with several mental disorders. At this time I feel it would be in the best intrest of my I son if I were to obtain custody. Is there any law firms that is willing to work with me useing a payment plan?
3 Answers from Attorneys
Re: No lawyer
There are many law firms that would probably work out payment arrangements for you. You should contact the local bar association of the county you are residing in for a referral. The local Bar Associations keep a list of attorneys to refer cases to. If you qualify you might be entitled to a Legal Aid attorney at no or reduced cost to you. Good luck.
Re: No lawyer
What that other lawyer told you is totally correct. I should point out that to change custody, you have a very high burden of proof. Therefore, you have to spend lots of time and energy on proving your case. A lawyer really has to work hard and use the resources of his or her office to do the proper job. That is why a lawyer is reluctant to undertake such a job without sufficient financial resources. I will say this and this may rub you the wrong way and it may seem like Dr. Laura talking (she is right once in a long while). This problem with your ex-wife did not just start yesterday. We all pay for the wrong decisions that we made years ago. In this case, your son is the one paying. If you have to beg from relatives and friends, you should attempt to get proper resources to rescue your child from what seems to be a horrible situation. You can't expect a lawyer to shut his office down and devote his limited resources to solving your problem without proper payment. If the lawyer did that often, he or she would not be around to help many people.
Re: No lawyer
A lot will depend on whether you are able to make a "down payment". Some offices will begin to represent you if you can pay part of the retainer or hourly charges "up front" so that they know you are operating in good faith. It also helps if there is a way you can guarantee payments so that the lawyer is not left on the hook if you don't pay. Good Luck
Related Questions & Answers
Looking for something else?
10,200 active attorneys ready to answer your legal questions today.
Featured Attorneys
Earn additional revenue and grow your business.
