Can Anyone Recommend a Good Family Lawyer?
- Thread starter cyhiphopp
- Start date
Can't help you out in Johnston. My brother does this kind of law, but he's not in the Des Moines area.
Yes, Des Moines area is a must.
Would he have any Des Moines contacts that he trusts?
No personal recommendations but you may have some starting points through the iowa bar's 'find a lawyer' service http://www.iowafindalawyer.com/
No recommendations for you, but definitely sending major good vibes your way. My son just finalized what had been a torturous path to keeping his kids with him...you have my sympathy. He had a pretty good lawyer, but she's in KC MO, so....
Send me a PM if you want. I'll probably go with someone with some experience but any leads will help.
I would love to have Saul on my side. He could get me what I want and also launder all my money.
Right now the custody breakdown is about 70/30 in her favor. I think the boys are old enough and have handled it well enough that we can go 50/50.
I should have fought harder for 50/50 when the divorce was finalized a few years ago, but I didn't and got screwed over a bit. There's also a few other things in the parenting plan that I'm not happy with.
I just want a lawyer I can talk to and see what they think my chances are.
Let me know if you need a reference. One of my best friends had to go through with all that with his oldest daughter.
So when I went through this process myself I was told there are two different types of lawyers. Really "nasty ones" that will fight to the end for what you want, or "smart ones." I was given the advice to go with a smart lawyer... i.e. when you are dealing with child custody things it is best to try to be agreeable, take the higher road, etc etc. I used J.D. Hartung of Hartung and Schroeder and felt like he represented me well and took into account my kids needs well, and tried to avoid unnecessary costs or dragging things into court etc. He personally has kids and was divorced himself so understood it personally and professionally. He's not the low cost option though.
However depending on your situation, the nasty road may be needed as well, which would be a different recommendation altogether.
And yeah you'll find differences in cost per hour across the board as well.
Good Luck, the process sucks. Remember to put your kids needs first above anything personal you may be feeling.
However depending on your situation, the nasty road may be needed as well, which would be a different recommendation altogether.
And yeah you'll find differences in cost per hour across the board as well.
Good Luck, the process sucks. Remember to put your kids needs first above anything personal you may be feeling.
Impending changes in circumstances may well work in your favor. Courts are still skewed more toward mothers than fathers, all things being equal. A wife (who already interacts well with the boys) can be a big plus for you.
I hope so. A big reason my Ex pushed for majority custody was that the boys were still so little that they needed their mom more. They are much more mature even just 2 years later and I know I'm a better parent now than when I first started out as a single dad.
I'm willing to wake up early and drive them to Ankeny for school if it means I get to see them more. Not to mention not having to pay a lot of child support which ends up being a lot of money over the whole year.
My soon to be wife and I are looking to move into a bigger house, preferably closer to their schools too, so that will help. And if/when we have more kids I want them to see their big brothers more than 10 days a month.
Always document everything and if you can instead of saying "we are going to" be able to say "we are".
Two things that I observed with others during custody negotiations - if the kids are old enough, get them their own lawyer or advocate and sometimes a female lawyer helps.
Two things that I observed with others during custody negotiations - if the kids are old enough, get them their own lawyer or advocate and sometimes a female lawyer helps.