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Why Do I Need a Family Law Attorney?

Every blended family needs a family law attorney, and over half of all children live in blended households. Divorce, child custody, and other matters are never “final.” These cases often lie dormant for several years. Then, a relocation, job change, or other life event suddenly makes the existing paperwork out of date. Informal side agreements, even if written and signed, are not enforceable in family court.

As far as judicial authorities are concerned, including the Attorney General’s Child Support Division, the orders on file are law.

You also need a family law attorney during an original proceeding. Divorces and paternity actions are extremely complex. A do-it-yourself divorce is like filing a tax return for a large corporation without consulting the instructions.

However, you need the right Fort Worth family law attorney. The wrong lawyer could easily make a complex family law case into a mess by doing the wrong thing or not doing the right thing.

Experience

This quality is the number one quality that people look for when they hire a Fort Worth family law attorney, and experience is important. However, sometimes experience is overblown.

A successful track record is more important than years of experience. A losing basketball team that returns all five starters is a very experienced losing basketball team. A winning basketball team with three returning starters is a less-experienced winning team. Which one would you bet on?

Furthermore, many family law attorneys practice law for many years and hardly ever see the inside of a courtroom. True, most divorce and other family law matters settle out of court. But your Fort Worth family law attorney should be ready, willing, and able to go to the mat for you.

Dedication

Because so many families need a family law attorney, as mentioned above, many lawyers dabble in family law. They handle a few such cases on the side, mostly for friends, relatives, and existing clients. Such lawyers often look for an easy way out so they can turn their attention to the matters they would rather handle.

Furthermore, undedicated lawyers often overlook critical details that affect the outcome of a case. The late, great Grant Cooper, RFK assassin Sirhan Sirhan’s lawyer, is a good example. Cooper was an experienced criminal lawyer, but he was not a dedicated criminal lawyer. He was basically a celebrity lawyer. As a result, Cooper missed some important details in the case that may not have affected the outcome but may have affected Sirhan’s harsh sentence.

Small details make a big difference in family law matters. Furthermore, family law is unique in that an attorney cannot just secure the best outcome for one person today. It must be the best outcome for years to come and for everyone in your family.

Accessibility

Your lawyer should be physically accessible. Most lawyers are available for Zoom conferences and other such exchanges, but face-to-face consultations are best. Driving across town to see a lawyer will get old in a hurry.

Professional accessibility makes a difference as well. Your lawyer should take full responsibility for all the work done in your case. Many lawyers, especially those at big firms, often over-delegate work to less experienced associates or even nonlawyer paralegals.

Permanency also matters. As mentioned, family law cases flare up from time to time. When that happens, it’s best to work with the same lawyer so you are not starting over at square one with someone else.

Count on a Tarrant County Family Law Attorney

The right lawyer could make all the difference. For a confidential consultation with an experienced family law attorney in Ft. Worth, contact the Law Office of Kyle Whittaker. Virtual, home, and after-hours visits are available.