What Should I Look For in a Kansas Child Custody Attorney? [Part II]

This is the second installment in our two-part blog post covering important considerations when choosing your Kansas child custody attorney.  We understand that many people involved in paternity or divorce cases may have had limited or no contact with attorneys or the court system so we have provided key issues that may be relevant in making a selection.  If you have not read Part I of this blog, we invite you to review it before reading this portion of the blog post.  While it goes without saying that you want a Kansas child custody lawyer with expertise and experience, we go beyond these factors to help you assess traits that are particularly relevant in paternity and divorce cases involving children.

Preventing Permanent Conflict: While the notion of a Kansas child custody attorney who will be tenacious on even minor points may sound attractive, the reality is that this type of representation tends to lead to a permanent contentious relationship with the other parent.  While your relationship with the other parent will end when you obtain your divorce judgment, the co-parenting relationship will essentially last until your child becomes an adult or beyond.  This means that an attorney who can help you build a workable relationship with the other parent may provide more of a long-term benefit than one who will burn down every bridge between you.  An amicable cooperative relationship built with the other parent during the divorce process can benefit you into your child’s adulthood.

Avoiding Unnecessary Expense: When you are involved in a divorce with highly contentious child custody issues, it can drive the cost of your divorce to an unacceptable level.  While there are many issues that will require contentious positions and opposing viewpoints, the investment of resources in your divorce process should be one that is calculated to make economic sense.  We hear from many clients that want the other parent to have virtually no access to their minor children though the parent taking this position cannot articulate a parental fitness or child safety issue to justify this position.  Because we know when limiting access to minimal supervised visitation is realistic, we advise clients when the facts do not merit such an outcome so that our clients do not waste valuable resources pursuing unrealistic objectives.

Assume a Long-Term Partnership: Although the goal is to obtain an acceptable divorce judgment that establishes acceptable and workable child custody and visitation orders, many divorce cases drag on because the parties cannot resolve their dispute.  Even when these cases reach a judgment, the parties may need to come back to court for enforcement of the terms of the child custody and visitation orders or to seek a modification of these orders.  Because of the long-term nature of the relationship, it can be helpful to select and attorney with whom you are comfortable working over the long haul.

If you have questions about custody or visitation in Kansas, we urge you to schedule a consultation so that we can answer your questions.  Wichita, KS child custody attorney Thomas C. McDowell has been practicing law for over two decades.  We provide legal representation in both divorce and paternity cases.  Call us today at 316-269-0746 or send us an email.