A child support lawyer’s job is to ensure that minor children of people who are going through a divorce, guardianship, or custody battle are treated fairly and that their best interests are represented. Collecting child support money may entail working with court systems or child advocacy groups. Negotiating non-monetary terms of the custody arrangements, such as visitation rights and terms, may also be involved.
A family law attorney may work alone in his private practice or as part of a partnership or group of attorneys who specialize in different aspects of the field. He may advise on establishing trust funds, annuities, and wills that benefit children, as well as setting up powers of attorney to facilitate negotiations, in addition to negotiating monetary support or custody terms for children. He is usually responsible for validating the terms of wills and settling estates.
If paternity issues are raised, a child support lawyer may be consulted to determine who is legally responsible for the child’s financial support. He may also be called upon to provide advice on surrogacy, adoption, or the emancipation of minors. A child support lawyer is frequently consulted if the terms of guardianship need to be changed.
A child support lawyer may be allowed to represent both or only one of the involved parties, depending on the region or vicinity where the deliberations take place. He may work directly with the case’s principles or only with their lawyers. In most cases, minor children are not present during these proceedings.
The responsibilities of a child support lawyer are similar to those of attorneys who specialize in other areas of law. He is frequently called upon to draft pleadings and testify before judges who are familiar with family law issues. He might try to reach an agreement with opposing counsel in private.
He frequently tries to resolve cases through mediation or arbitration to avoid lengthy and costly court battles. A child support lawyer typically meets with his clients and their families to discuss the specific facts of their cases before appearing before a judge or jury. He may go over options with his clients several times to ensure that they understand them completely. A child support lawyer’s primary goal is to ensure that his clients select the best solutions to their problems.
If a court determines that one of the parties owes child support and the order is not followed, the plaintiff’s lawyer is generally required to make every effort to collect the payments on behalf of his client. To fulfill the commitment, he may take legal action to attach the party’s wages. Another common method of collecting payment is to place a lien on a person’s property and gain access to their savings or checking accounts.
To become a child support lawyer, you must first complete a four-year bachelor’s degree program before enrolling in law school for at least three years. Passing an aptitude test is required for admission to law school. After completing this phase of education, a person must pass the bar exam before being recognized as qualified to practice law.