Today I’m going to share with you Free Child Custody Lawyers for Mothers.
A divorce is one of the most heart-wrenching things that one can go through. Losing your spouse gets worse when you have the threat of losing your child with them. Custody battles are delicate and need one’s full and undivided attention. Finding a good and suitable lawyer is one of the first steps in the long emotionally, mentally and financially draining battle that child custody is.
So, topics like free public defenders for child custody, free child custody lawyers for mothers, various means of obtaining affordable legal aid in the form of legal representation or consultation, etc. along with the concept, need and possible mistakes that can potentially cost you your child have been explored in this article, so you cover all your bases in the form of opportunities and tips before stepping into the field.
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Free Child Custody Lawyers for Mothers:
Need of Free Public Defenders for Child Custody:
Court cases are lengthy, time and money consuming affairs and not everyone can afford to get the A-grade services that they might be seeking to get a worthwhile shot in court.
Out of all possible reasons that may lead to losing your child in a legal battle, money shouldn’t be one of them, which makes you wonder, ‘Is it even possible to gain access to custody lawyers near me, free consultations, etc as a single parent struggling to hold it to together’ and this is where facilities for free public defenders for child custody and low-cost attorney for child custody come into the picture.
It is vital to note that laws of maximum states are mostly similar. Child custody are delicate cases following divorce and are based with respect to the child or children’s best interests.
There is a prevalent myth that in most child custody cases, mothers are given preference but neither parent has an automatic preference and are seen equal in the eyes of law.
In the United States, legal aid is defined as the provision of assistance to people who cannot access the court system due to a lack of resources to afford legal representation.
Said legal aid provisions are different for criminal law that is concerned with punishments of individuals who have committed crimes than civil laws which in turn deal with cases where citizens dispute their rights. Custody battles and divorces fall in the later category.
While defendants under criminal law prosecution are guaranteed both legal representation (if not in the position to hire an attorney) and legal aid by the government, which disappointingly is not the case with civil cases like custody cases.
Even though government based civil legal aid cannot be guaranteed in most places under federal law, it is provided by a number of community legal clinics and public interest law firms as pro bono cases for a greatly reduced price if not for free.
There are also non-government organizations and institutes along with private volunteers and community shelters that look out for battered women and single mothers who possibly have been financially dependent on their spouses earlier by providing free public defenders for child custody and low-cost attorneys for child custody.
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Different Types of Child Custody:
Before diving into free public defenders for child custody or other sources to obtain good and free child custody lawyers, it is important to be well versed with your case. It always helps to research a case before diving into it with all of one’s resources and more. To ensure the creation of the best environment for the child, there are various types of custody that can be explored by the parties. These types have been explored below:
- Legal Custody:
These cases have a lot of room for conflict as it gives one parent the right overall major decisions regarding the child, varying from the child’s upbringing, schooling, health, religion etc.
For the longest time, this was the most common custody arrangement but to obtain this, the other parent should be completely incompetent in the eyes of the court and thus requires a great lawyer. While on the hunt for a good and free public defender for child custody, try to get your hands on one who has dealt with these cases before.
Physical Custody: This type of custody deals with where the child will be placed physically, meaning where he or she will live and who will take care of the day-to-day needs of the child like the provision of food, clothing, etc.
Physical custody gives the right to have the child physically live with you at your home.
- Sole Custody:
As its name suggests, this arrangement gives all rights over the child over to one parent while the other is only given visitation rights. A free child custody lawyer can even get you generous visitation rights if you are seen inept by the court.
- Joint Custody:
Joint decision-making rights are given to both parents in this case and common ground can generally be found between both parents but if not, a schedule is set by the court.
Legal and physical can both be divided in these cases depending on the case. A good free child custody lawyer can get you a very reasonable schedule.
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How Do Judges Arrive at Custody Decisions?
The ‘best interest’ for a very probably emotionally distraught child is a broad and rather vague topic and can vary greatly with every case.
Now that we have understood various forms of custody, let’s dive into how the court takes custody decisions before finally diving into free public defenders for child custody and resources which provide legal aid for single parents, especially in the form of free child custody lawyers for mothers in need. Some general factors that are most definitely considered in court are as follows:
- Relationships:
The court encourages the child to have the ability to keep their relationships with people in their life like the person who lost the custody battle, extended family and people who can be considered as good influences in their life.
Development: The most obvious need of a child is the space, scope and resources for development. The court mostly sides with the parent that can nourish them adequately both mentally and physically.
But if you are a single mother, or a survivor of domestic violence or facing personal circumstances that have put you in a financially tougher place than your counterpart, leading you to turn to free public defenders for child custody, there is no need to panic, as the court does weigh in these especial factors while making a decision and it is important to note that a free child custody lawyer doesn’t mean that you are compromising on the quality of your case.
Safety: Safety is the utmost priority in the eyes of law and keeping the child away from any negative influence is sought by the court. A criminal record, or traces of abuse, violence, drugs, etc on a file can easily keep a parent from getting custody but good representation on recovering parents or reformed ex-convents by free public defenders for child custody cases is not impossible can have a fair shot.
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Free and Affordable Child Custody Legal Help for Mothers:
There are a considerable fraction of housewives in America. A lot of mothers are financially dependent on their significant others.
After separation, in addition to the emotional turmoil, the burden of finances while finding the right resources to ensure you don’t lose your child can feel like the last nail in the coffin for single mothers.
The government along with other non-profit institutes do try to recognize this group of citizens and extend a helping hand to them by making free child custody lawyers for mothers accessible. Let’s explore options for obtaining a low-cost attorney for child custody, legal assistance programs and much more.
1. Legal aid:
Legal Aid organizations have been helping people for years now. They have provided many free child custody lawyers for mothers who weren’t in a condition to afford one themselves.
Legal Aid understands the situation of mothers and thus provides free legal advice for child custody and free child custody lawyers for mothers going through a rough patch.
They have been successful in almost all the cases that they have fought for child custody. If you think you need a free child custody lawyer to handle your case, you can reach out for help from them.
They will check if there is a lawyer available to look upon your case or not. They will see if the lawyer is willing to represent you or not. If he or she agrees to do it, then you can get yourself a free child custody lawyer that easily.
Some of these legal aid organizations have been explored below:
2. National Legal Aid and Defender Organization (NLADA):
National legal aid and defender organization is also known as NLADA, is one of the largest and oldest non-profit institutes that have devoted themselves to the cause of providing affordable if not free legal services to low-income populations, even in the form of free attorney for child custody.
The official website for NLADA, where you can continue reading up on them and the services they provide are:
National Legal Aid & Defender Association (nlada.org)
3. Sargent Shriver Center on Poverty Law:
Standing for economic and racial justice, Sargent Shriver Center on Poverty Law is a national organization or advocacy that tries to fight poverty.
Their official website is as follows:
4. Voices for Civil Justice
Voices for Civil Justice may not directly provide low-cost attorneys for child custody or advocates but are a great place to find information about the resources one has available when it comes to available legal aid.
They do so by increasing visibility for civil legal aid in the media on a national level. Their official website is:
https://voicesforciviljustice.org/
5. Legal Services Corporation:
Legal service cooperation has been established by the United States Congress but is funded by the public. It is a 501 non-profit corporation that is working towards establishing equal opportunities in terms of legal resources for everyone irrespective of their background, gender, financial situation, etc.
They do provide said services in the form of free child custody lawyers for mothers and affordable legal help. It is regarded as the largest funder for civil legal aid in the United States of America. Following is the official link for legal services corporation:
6. Legal Clinics:
Legal clinics everywhere are developing into centers of not only legal aid but also legal advice. They have made numerous forms of legal assistance accessible for the poor alongside a non-legal specialized knowledge section dedicated to dealing with issues regarding regular issues.
They can be seen as an all in one stop that provides an all information window for people who are not well versed with the legal aspect of the world and not only prevents time that could potentially be wasted on various visits to different lawyers and extensive research but also money as multiple appointments can be avoided.
They also take into account the cultural and social conditions that come into a client’s scenario while taking up a legal procedure and try to smooth them out as well.
A feature that makes legal clinics stand out is also their efforts to overcome locational infeasibility.
They try to schedule appointments at locations that are convenient for the client to visit. As poverty is not constrained to a particular area, their efforts are an applaud-worthy step towards filling in the bridge between justice and those who need it.
For people who fail to get their hands on a low-cost attorney for child custody and choose to represent themselves in court, legal advice is extremely crucial and important and should thus be only taken by reliable sources.
7. Non-Profit Organizations and Pro-Bonos:
There are a lot of government schemes and programs working towards the goal of providing justice to all but despite the decent success that these programs have to offer, they are never enough.
Non-profit organizations and many non-government organizations provide affordable and free legal advice to people who cannot afford the same. Special attention is given to civil cases and child custody battles.
There are also organizations that are run by judges, attorneys and lawyers that provide free child custody lawyers for mothers. They may connect you to lawyers who are willing to take up your case as a pro bono one and you will land yourself a free attorney for child custody as easy as that.
These organizations do not only provide said legal help to women meaning single mothers, but they are also open to extending a helping hand to anyone who needs it including fathers as well providing any sort of legal advice needed, These organizations generally answer people’s questions and advise them through mail or calls.
A pro bono lawyer is an attorney that provides legal services, advice or representation at extremely low prices or works as a free child custody lawyer. Their main motive of practice is helping those in need and they generally target cases being fought by economically struggling groups of people, survivors of domestic violence, senior citizens, victims of physically or mentally disabilities and even veterans.
It is important to note that getting a pro bono to take up your case for less money doesn’t always mean that you are compromising on quality. There are incredible lawyers who willingly do pro bono work and that is why it is advisable to read up about the lawyers you are visiting or considering to take upon delicate cases like child custody.
Religious organizations including many catholic charities also provide affordable and free child custody lawyers for mothers under their views of women empowerment and much upliftment of females in the society. They try to help single mothers, victims of family abuse etc and give them a fair shot at child custody battles so they can have a chance to have a happy life with their kids.
You can contact catholic charities in your area by looking up their contact numbers and calling them or writing to them and if they have free child custody lawyers or the funds to help you, they will surely assist you.
It is advisable to describe your personal circumstances in detail, mentioning your financial condition and the urgency for the need of said resources as these organizations do factor in personal circumstances while making these decisions.
Another organization that works on the same path are community action centres. They also provide free child custody lawyers for mothers who really need strong representation in court.
In addition to that, they have provisions for free legal advice regarding battles of child custody for both mothers and fathers. They have numerous success stories to prove they are reliable sources when it comes to free child custody lawyers.
8. Personal and Family Help:
Even though there are many organizations, government or otherwise that are working towards
providing free child custody lawyers for mothers and other forms of civil legal aid, they are never enough. It never harms to first ask around the family and neighborhood for advice or even representation if it is possible.
An insider-type perspective that can be provided by someone who knows you, your family and maybe even your strained relationship with your ex-spouse may really make a difference during a child custody battle.
9. Law Schools:
Law school students are required to observe court hearings and do other forms of fieldwork during their last year of degree programs. Approaching them to represent you in court may turn out to be a win-win situation as they may do your representation for free or at a very less cost and they will get the needed experience and credit scores.
It is indeed an excellent way of acquiring a free child custody lawyer in court. Make sure that you are hiring a competent law student as it can be risky. It is important to note that law schools have been observed to help both fathers and mothers.
10. Representing Yourself in Court:
If you still cannot get your hands on a free child custody lawyer, you are both comfortable with and is affordable, you can ask the court to provide you with one.
There are no criteria of eligibility for mothers if they want a lawyer for custody battles assigned to them by the court meaning if they cannot afford an attorney, the court will provide one (free public defenders for child custody). Another option is to ask the court the permission to represent yourself in court and do it yourself even though it is not advised.
11. Government Organizations:
There are a lot of organizations that are run by the government that try to provide free child custody lawyers for mothers, low-income families, victims and survivors of domestic abuse, etc. Having your kid being snatched away from you should not be due to financial troubles and the government is working to make sure it doesn’t happen.
They also have organizations that provide legal advice and solve any and all doubts one may have during this deeply disturbing court battle, especially to those who choose the represent themselves in court, who may or may not be coming from a legal background. A few such organizations have been listed below:
12. Legal Services Corporation:
Also referred to as LSC, Legal services corporation is a non-profit institute that works with the United States Government and it works towards providing affordable and free child custody lawyers for those who need it.
Depending on the state or territory, there are vast legal aid options including free legal advice for child custody battles and other civil cases.
You can look up the legal services corporation office near you and contact them via mail or call and they will provide you with all your choices.
13. Free Legal Answers:
Free legal advice can be best described as a legal advisory institute that works online, it is associated with the American Bar association also known as ABA. “Free Legal Answers’ ‘ as the name suggests, provides free legal answers to any legal questions.
Queries can be posted on their website and if the case is extremely serious, responses are given via mail. They provide pro bono lawyers that can act as free child custody lawyers as well in certain states.
The eligibility criteria to avail said free custody lawyers for mothers, you should look it up on their official website. Different states have different websites for the same.
14. Legal Resources for Specific Groups:
Even though there are several sources from which civil legal aid in the form of free child custody lawyers for mothers can be obtained, not everyone is able to access these resources.
So organizations, non-profit and otherwise, target-specific, rather more vulnerable groups of people and try to provide resources like free child custody lawyers, legal advice, etc.
Mothers who are veterans or disabled can reach out to these organizations and have a higher chance of getting a response while hunting for a suitable free child custody lawyer.
15. Military and Veterans:
Stateside Legal, Legal Help for Veterans, Armed Forces Legal Assistance, etc. are organizations that try to provide legal aid services, focusing solely on military members, veterans and their families and even provide free child custody lawyers for mothers who qualify.
16. People with Disabilities:
National Disability Rights Network is run by the state and works diligently towards providing affordable legal services exclusively to people who are disabled.
Some other popular non-profits also working towards providing legal aid to the less privileged are Legal Advice Family, Thomas Reuters Foundation and Volunteer for Justice Foundation.
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Other Resources:
1. LawHelp.org:
LawHelp also works as a legal aid information provider for all people. It includes information in the form of articles about information regarding child custody battles and hiring free child custody lawyers.
2. Pro Bono Resource Directory:
As discussed, pro bono widely refers to voluntary based legal work done by professionals for free or extremely fewer costs for the cause of public good. Pro bono lawyers also act as free child custody lawyers.
Pro Bono Resource Directory helps you find such pro bono lawyers in your state.
3. 1-800-The-Law2:
This is a group of independent lawyers who provide free legal advice to people fighting child custody battles. They have helped thousands of people and they can help you too, all that’s needed to be done is reach out to them through telecommunication (calls).
They can especially help those who chose to represent themselves rather than choosing the free public defender for child custody provided by the court.
4. Working People’s Law Center:
Working people’s law centre is another popular non-profit organization that provides free legal advice for child custody battles to everyone irrespective of their income, gender or background.
5. The National Family Solutions:
Another organization that provides free child custody lawyers for mothers and other low-income citizens at an affordable price is the national family solutions.
They provide free child custody lawyers for low-income families but also assist the applicant throughout the custody procedures in any way needed.
There are no specific eligibility criteria to apply. An online form is needed to be filled and then you will be given an opportunity to talk to a lawyer regarding your case.
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Things to Keep in Mind:
Getting your hands on a good lawyer, even if he or she is a free child custody lawyer, is extremely important but it is only the first step. How you present yourself in court is extremely important. So there are some points that you need to keep in mind while you are engaged in a child custody battle:
Irrespective of whatever you feel for your partner, you should make sure to not let those feelings overcome you in court as it may cost you your kid.
Refusing to communicate ethically and reasonably may portray that you are trying to hurt the other parent and you are placing the hate you feel over the needs of your child which paints you in a very negative light.
Hiring an experienced attorney specializing in family law, even if he or she is a pro bono, free child custody lawyer is an extra step you can take to make sure you know what to do, say or not do and say in court.
The court looks down on the demand of entirely cutting off the other parent without a court order.
There is an exception when you feel there are environmental or safety issues for the child but it takes a lot of evidence to prove that in court so make sure that you have a good argument for demanding the termination of the presence of your ex-partner if you want to demand that in court.
Social media accounts can be taken up in court and whatever you may post there can be used as character evidence for a judge. Pictures of intoxication, lies, abusive comments, negative comments about the opposite party can cost you your reputation in the eyes of law.
Anything you post can have legal consequences and if you already have posted something that might be questionable, deleting it might lead to legal questioning as it looks like you are hiding something or destroying evidence that can be used to define your personality.
In cases like these, you should have a word with your free child custody lawyer, if attainable and justify your feelings and try to come up with a reasonable explanation so the impact of said post can be reduced by reasoning with the court.
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Frequently Asked Questions:
Some commonly asked questions about obtaining free child custody lawyers for mothers have been answered below:
1. What is the Meaning of “Pro-Bono”?
Pro bono public is actually a Latin phrase that means “for the public good” referring to professional work taken up without payment on a voluntary basis.
It generally refers to lawyers who take up cases for negligible or no fees for people who cannot afford representation in court.
Pro bono lawyers also help mothers by taking up their cases and acting as free child custody lawyers. Use Pro Bono Resource Directory to find pro bono lawyers near you.
2. Can I Represent Myself in Court?
Yes, the option of representing oneself in court is available but not always advisable as not everyone comes from a legal background and understands the proceedings and etiquettes of court.
Even a small mistake can cost you your parenthood but it is possible as there are many legal advice resources (like the ones discussed) that provide free information and solve queries regarding the same.
The court does provide free public defenders for child custody battles if asked in cases where one doesn’t want to represent one’s own self and the only reason to resort to this option is lack of money.
3. Are There Any Organizations That Focus on Providing Legal Aid Exclusively to Veterans?
Yes, there are organizations that are solely focusing on helping veterans, military members and their families and have a provision of low-cost attorneys for child custody. Two such organizations are Stateside Legal and Armed Force Legal Assistance.
4. Are There Any Websites Where I Can Find Legal Advice?
Yes, there are many websites that provide free legal advice online including tips on obtaining free child custody lawyers for mothers. For example Free Legal Answers.
5. Is It True That Mothers Get Preference When It Comes to Custody Battles?
No, this is a big myth. Mothers do not get any preferential treatment in court. Fathers and mothers both have a fair chance in a child custody case.
The decision is solely made on the basis of the best interest of the child.
As there is a fraction of the population of females who are formerly dependent on their spouses for financial support, there are specific schemes and organizations that focus solely on them, providing low-cost attorneys for child custody.
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Ending the Article:
Child custody battles, like said before can drain the two parties in every possible aspect.
It is important to make sure that the child is kept comfortable and the decision is made in such a way that the development and growth of the child is not hampered in any way which is ultimately the goal of both the parents.
Mothers who were formerly dependent on their significant others financially can find themselves in such a fix when it comes to child custody battles where it feels like the more you pay on a lawyer, the better your chances are to win, which is not always true.
There are so many resources for mothers like these or in general for people who are financially struggling so that they can fight the custody battles fully prepared and with all the resources they need.
Many government organizations and non-profit institutes also provide low-cost attorneys for child custody and even free public defenders for child custody, as well as they, share the belief that lack of money should ever be a reason for your child being snatched from you.