At The Jackman Law Firm, we take pride in representing father’s and men who are either going through a divorce or involved in a child custody fight. We stand ready to serve and help you. If you’re a father or man in need of help, we have the experience and the team to help you get the best representation available.
For the last decade, we have helped hundreds of men in Seattle, Bellevue, and Tacoma get custody of their children and favorable visitation schedules so they can be active participants in their children’s lives.
You might have heard that men often do not have the same advantages that women do when it comes to an even playing field with judges, that judges often just assume the mother is the better, fitter parent.
The Legal Standard in Your Case
Winning your custody case as a father is not easy. There can be major challenges that fathers and men face when going into court. Above all else, you need an attorney who is experienced, prepared, and understands the fine nuances of your case. The ability to communicate to a judge why you are the best parent for your child should not be left to an attorney who has not routinely appeared in court.
At The Jackman Law Firm, we understand the factors that the judge will weigh when making a custody decision. The standard judges in Washington employ is the “best interests of the child” standard. The obvious question is how does a judge determine what’s in the best interests of a child?
The judge will weigh a number of factors. Chief among them are:
- Who has traditionally parented the child?
- Who has the time and availability to parent the child?
- What parent has the financial resources to parent the child?
- Which parent has the better home environment for the child?
The lawyers at The Jackman Law Firm have the experience and knowledge to
successfully communicate your strengths to the judge as a parent so the judge understands how you are the fitter, better parent to the child.
How We Can Help Win Your Case
We have a great deal of experience preparing and communicating our client’s strengths to a judge. We know how to make sure that you, the father, are in the best possible position to win your case. Here are some common tactics we have employed to make you appear as though you are the fitter parent and in the best position to parent your child or children.
- Gather and help witnesses prepare statements, such as co-workers and family members
- Pull photographs from your phone or social media that show you actively participating in your child’s life
- Gather any documents form school that show you have attended events with your child, as well as any extra curricular activities you have been involved in
Having witnesses in particular, such as family and friends and co-workers, who can
vouch for you as a father is more important than anything and can make or break your case.
What to Look for in a Father’s Rights Attorney
If you are seeking a father’s rights attorney, the questions you need answered are as follows:
Does the attorney routinely appear in the county where your case is? This is critical to know because every county has unique rules and judges who can rule on your case depending on the situation that you’re in. Knowing your judge and how they will likely rule is going to be critical in predicting an outcome.
Does the attorney appear to really listen to you when you explain your case? Knowing the details of your case is going to determine a lot about your case. Many attorneys may appear to hear you, but they are not good at listening and understanding the fine points of your case. You deserve to be heard.
Do you feel like you have a strong connection with your attorney? There is a good chance that your case could last up to a year, or more, potentially. If you don’t feel like you have a good bond with your attorney, or if you don’t feel like you and your attorney can work well and communicate well, then your case will not be as successful.
The Stages of a Case Involving Children
If you are going through a family law case, or you’re about to go through one, you need to understand how your case is likely going to proceed in court. Regardless if you are married and have a child or you’re single, unmarried, and trying to get custody of your child, or at least more visitation, you are going to proceed through the following stages.
First, you’ll have to either file or respond to all of the initial court documents. This could include divorce or child custody documents.
Second, you’ll likely have a court hearing called a temporary orders hearing. This is a court hearing where you will have the opportunity to discuss your case with the judge and get something to temporarily hold your case in place until trial, or until you and your ex reach an agreement outside of court.
Third, if you don’t settle your case during the course of the year, you’ll most likely engage in what’s called mediation. Mediation is a process whereby you attempt to settle your case. The mediator is typically someone who is either an attorney or a judge. They will help settle your case.
Fourth, if your case is not successful at mediation, you will have no choice but to go to trial. Trial is the end of the case. It’s where the judge will decide everything in your case.
How The Jackman Law Firm Can Help
The Jackman Law Firm has over two decades of combined experience helping fathers in court get custody of their children and make sure the court takes their side seriously. Handling your case on your own is not something we would recommend any father face alone. Call us for a consultation to discuss your case. We’re here for you.
