My dad and I want to file for a custody change, so I can live with him more often. How much does this cost?How much does a lawyer cost for a custody hearing?Lawyers are pretty expensive. And a custody proceeding is pretty tough to do without one.
I'd say at least a few thousand dollars, if your mom wants to fight it.How much does a lawyer cost for a custody hearing?If your mother is agreeable, all you need is a mediator.
The mediator will be a lawyer or paralegal, with specialized training. Each of you MUST pay half the fees. The fees could run from $200 to $1000, depending on the going rates in your area, and time spent on the document. Court fees could run $50 to $150.
If she's less than agreeable, this will help.
I檝e been a Father檚 Rights Advocate for 20 years.
Many think the courts are rigged against dads, but in reality, it is more about attorneys unwilling or lacking the knowledge to truly fight for the father's rights. This is why it is important to learn how to interview and hire the right attorney. It is also important to do as much as possible on your own and not pay the attorney to do it.
Part of the problem with getting your rights knowing what to do to prove your case, and how to remind the judge of their responsibilities. Let me start with the judge.
Always take people with you to court who are not there to testify. Make sure they are sitting where the judge can see them, each equipped with a tablet and pen to take notes. It檚 best to use a Court Watch Form designed for this purpose. I have one in the manual at Dads House.
If the judge is not doing his job, using the info from this form, you can, appeal, and/or get the judge sanctioned and removed from the case. You file a complaint with the State Supreme Court at your state capital.
Start keeping a daily journal of all your activities. The most common way to prevent a father from getting his rights through the courts is a false allegation, usually sexual. Over 60% of divorcing father are accused of child sexual abuse, of which only 4% are found to have any relevance, but there are no penalties for doing so. A daily journal is your number one piece of evidence in court and you can even refer to it while on the stand.
Gather evidence. Check the site below to see if it is illegal to record conversations without the other person knowing. If your state does not have a law either way, than it defaults to the federal ruling which says one person in a conversation must know they are being recorded. You檙e that one person. In Missouri it is specifically legal, in Kansas there is no mention either way. If you live in two different states, and one has a law against it, than it applies when the call originates from within that state,
http://www.rcfp.org/taping/
Now, you can't just record, you also have to transcribe it into the daily journal.
If you want to learn how to do all this go to Dads House in Yahoo Groups. There's an educational manual in the file section that can teach you what you need to know. Take the time to learn what you can and should do.
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Dad
http://tinyurl.com/GiveKidsAChoice
http://www.fathersandfamilies.org/
http://www.parentalalienation.org/
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseac
