Custody/Visitation

Freedman Law strongly believes that kids matter in the grand scheme of things. Contact our juvenile law and child custody law attorney for experienced counsel and representation in child-related matters including child custody, parenting time, child support, paternity, adoption, CHINS (children in need of services), termination of parental rights, and juvenile delinquency.

Child Custody and Parenting Time

Nothing in family law seems to incite more emotion than a contested custody case.  To a lesser extent, cases involving parenting time (visitation) and child support can also be highly emotional.  It is not unusual for children, even very young children, to get caught in the crossfire between parents.  Handling these cases requires the lawyer to understand the individuals and circumstances involved in the case.  Both lawyer and client must be mindful of the effect that the case may have on the best interests of the children.

Since these cases can be hotly contested, an individual seeking relief needs to understand the nature and scope of the commitment that our law office demands of its clients.  In addition, these cases can be procedurally bewildering to the uninitiated.  The law firm takes many steps to ensure that our clients fully understand the applicable court rules and procedures, the applicable substantive law, and the applicable factual and practical considerations involved in investigating and proving his or her case in court.  Strategies can vary from case to case, but our experience teaches that virtually every client wants to know and understand the strategy choices that are applicable to his or her particular dilemma.

There are several different custody arrangements available under Indiana law, and clients are frequently confused about the differences.  In addition, child custody cases typically involve guardian ad litems, custody evaluators, medical experts and/or other expert witnesses.  In your initial consultation, we will discuss the various types of custody, and we will explain in detail the various options that are available for expert testimony.

Parenting time and visitation cases pose their own special considerations.  In cases involving "money" issues, our representation can be particularly cost-effective since we pride ourselves on trying to save our clients as much money as possible now and in the future.

Once again, in selecting a lawyer, you should be careful to choose one who will communicate regularly and who will involve you in the process of strategizing and preparing the case for trial.  Once again, the attorney-client relationship may last for months or even years in rare cases.  It is important to select an attorney with whom you are personally comfortable.

Paternity

When paternity is in question, it is important to make sure that children's rights are protected while the father's parentage is litigated. We handle both prosecution and defense of paternity cases. If paternity is established, child support and parenting time must be addressed in a fair manner, while always keeping the children's best interests in mind.

Juvenile Law

We represent parents accused of abuse and/or neglect and whose children may be removed or determined to be children in need of services (CHINS). We often confront cases involving children who have experienced difficult childhoods and may suffer from a variety of serious physical and emotional problems such as reactive attachment disorder (RAD) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We are experienced at representing parents of children who have been removed from their homes. We work within the juvenile process to attempt to reunite parents with their children as quickly as possible.

In addition to our work with CHINS clients, we also represent minors who have been charged with delinquent acts. This is a very different process, but equally challenging.
 
Contact juvenile law and child custody lawyer Jack M. Freedman to schedule a consultation on your child-related legal matter.