All About The Michigan Custody Attorney

[Theresa Chenoweth]

The American family law is complex, and if you're ever embroiled in a
case such as divorce or child custody, you have no other option but to
hire a good Michigan custody attorney. A family lawyer, or a family
attorney, is a legal professional who is qualified to represent you in
a court or assist you with an out-of-court settlement.
In most American states, a child custody lawyer has to necessarily
complete law school and pass the bar exams before taking up practice,
but in states such as California, lawyers can pass the bar and
practice law without completing law school. But in most cases, lawyers
would have completed three years of law school and passed the bar
exams.
There are many legal firms practicing law, and the idea is to choose a
good firm that can represent your point of view exactly the way you
want it. You can choose your lawyer from those who are into general
practice, or from those who specialize in certain legal matters. Some
lawyers run a one-man show, some work in a partnership, while some are
employed in law firms.
What does a Michigan custody attorney do?
It is the duty of every custody lawyer to protect his client's right
within the framework of the law. Here are the primary functions of a
lawyer:
1. Legal consultation: A lawyer is an expert in legal matters;
naturally, his first job is to interpret and analyze legal provisions
and explain them to his client - he also has to recommend a course of
action based on his interpretations. When it comes to family law, most
clients bombard their lawyers with questions. The lawyer has to answer
these questions in an objective way and help his clients reconcile
their expectations with legal provisions.
2. Legal work: Lawyers execute all the legal work and here is an
illustrative list of their services: (i) fact investigation; (ii)
referring to prior decisions that can have an impact on the current
case; (iii) being familiar with new laws and advising clients
accordingly; (iv) writing legal documents; (v) representing clients in
a court, questioning witnesses, raising objections to questionable
evidence, etc.; and (vi) handling the documentation work with the
court.
All this legal work needs an intricate knowledge of the law and strict
adherence to court procedures. You may sometimes feel that you can
argue out your case yourself because the law seems simple enough if
taken on face value, but the law is very tricky and it will do you a
world of good if you assign your case to a Michigan custody attorney.
3. Negotiations: Most family cases are settled out-of-court, and hence
your lawyer must be an expert negotiator. Family cases where child
custody is involved are very sensitive and can break down at the
slightest provocation; hence, the negotiations have to be expertly
carried out. When lawyers negotiate on your behalf, they take the
blame. Plus, if you are not a good negotiator, or for some reason are
in a weak bargaining position, it is the lawyer who will come to your
rescue with his negotiation tactics.
4. Navigating you through the legal maze: A lawyer literally takes his
client by his hands and leads him through a very complex legal maze,
also known as the legal system. The professionals who are part of
family courts form a very small, niche community - lawyers know
custody judges and court procedures like the back of their hand. This
knowledge makes lawyers and judges more comfortable in dealing with
each other. Lawyers also know how a judge ticks and they present the
arguments in such a way that it reconciles with the judge's thought
process, which the lawyer knows because he's been dealing with the
judge for many years!
Custody judges too can figure out how a certain lawyer works, because
of their long association with them. If the judge is of the opinion
that the Michigan custody attorney is credible, he will listen to him
and even give him an extended chance to prove his arguments.