How to Stop Stepparent Interference

I have the same problem with my ex -- he continuously tells my kids his new wife "mom"and has insisted that my kids call her mom since before they were married. The judge isn't too crazy about it but my kids love my husband. My ex has done some astoundingly stupid things, such as lock the kids in the trunk of a 1999 Civic, but since he didn't move it and it only lasted a minute, I really couldn't do anything about it.

Call several attorneys and talk to them or set up conferences. The attorney should not charge you for a consultation. When I have run into this situation I have just moved on to the next attorney in whom I was interested. I have found a couple of really good attorneys and the one with whom I decided to work worked with me on payments per hour. My case is complex too.

Once you've chosen an attorney if your judge inserted her own personal experiences with your case you may be able to ask for a different judge.

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Quoting No_Angel

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I have the same problem with my ex -- he continuously tells my kids his new wife "mom"and has insisted that my kids call her mom since before they were married. The judge isn't too crazy about it but my kids love my husband. My ex has done some astoundingly stupid things, such as lock the kids in the trunk of a 1999 Civic, but since he didn't move it and it only lasted a minute, I really couldn't do anything about it.

Call several attorneys and talk to them or set up conferences. The attorney should not charge you for a consultation. When I have run into this situation I have just moved on to the next attorney in whom I was interested. I have found a couple of really good attorneys and the one with whom I decided to work worked with me on payments per hour. My case is complex too.

Once you've chosen an attorney if your judge inserted her own personal experiences with your case you may be able to ask for a different judge.

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Why shouldn't a family law attorney charge for a consultation? Does that somehow determine whether or not they're a decent attorney?

And really, she's going to need a hell of a lot more than what she has in order to get a different judge.

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Quoting Dogmatique

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Why shouldn't a family law attorney charge for a consultation? Does that somehow determine whether or not they're a decent attorney?

And really, she's going to need a hell of a lot more than what she has in order to get a different judge.

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Consultations should be like first dates -- getting to know you, how you plan to problem solve, do you know opposing counsel and how do you work with the judge. It provides a time to discuss how the office works, and how much involvement you as the client will or won't have. A consultation shows how easy or difficult it might be to work with this attorney.

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Quoting No_Angel

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Consultations should be like first dates -- getting to know you, how you plan to problem solve, do you know opposing counsel and how do you work with the judge. It provides a time to discuss how the office works, and how much involvement you as the client will or won't have. A consultation shows how easy or difficult it might be to work with this attorney.

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None of which answers the question of cost.

The reality is that some attorneys will give you a free first consultation, and some won't. Whether they do or not doesn't determine whether they're actually good at what they're meant to be good at. There are some lousy attorneys who give you a free consult to rope you in and then pretty much ruin things for you, just as there are attorneys who charge you up the wazoo and do the same thing. The opposite is also true, so the question of whether they charge you or not for that first meeting is absolutely not an indication on their ability to represent you fairly and competently.


Agreed?

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Quoting No_Angel

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Consultations should be like first dates -- getting to know you, how you plan to problem solve, do you know opposing counsel and how do you work with the judge. It provides a time to discuss how the office works, and how much involvement you as the client will or won't have. A consultation shows how easy or difficult it might be to work with this attorney.

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Someone has to pay on the first date too, just sayin'.

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Quoting free9man

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Someone has to pay on the first date too, just sayin'.

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*snort*

Excellent point, specially given the particular forum ... ;)

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Quoting No_Angel

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Consultations should be like first dates

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I seem to remember my first date with my husband. He spent a LOT of money on a very nice dinner. Just like attorneys, dates cost too. Unless that is, your standards are low.

I paid my own way on first dates

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Quoting No_Angel

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I paid my own way on first dates

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I'm sorry to hear that

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Quoting No_Angel

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I paid my own way on first dates

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Just as you'd expect to pay an attorney for their services, too.

Yes?