How Much Does a Lawyer Cost to Get Custody of a Child?

As a parent, your job is to protect and provide for your children. But without any custody rights, it can be hard to ensure that you maintain a meaningful role in your children’s lives.

If you believe your children’s other parent is unfit to raise them, you want to act now. But not knowing how much a lawyer costs to get custody of your child can feel frustrating. The family law attorneys at Moskowitz Law Group understand your financial concerns. Contact us to learn more about how much you can expect to spend on legal and filing fees in New Jersey.

Unfortunately, Costs Vary Widely

While we wish we were able to provide you with an exact or estimated number, knowing how much a lawyer costs to get custody of a child varies widely. Uncontested cases can settle quickly without the need to litigate. Therefore, your legal fees could be less in this instance than they would if you needed to litigate your case and have a Judge make the decision. You should proceed with caution if any lawyer gives you an exact or estimated number as to how much your case will cost because there simply is not way of knowing.

Common Factors that Influence How Much a Custody Lawyer Charges

Many common factors can influence the cost of your custody case. Beyond your attorney’s hourly rate and retainer fees, extensive negotiations, multiple court hearings, and a trial will all add to the cost of getting custody of your child. Cases that involve expert witnesses, such as your child’s pediatrician or a child psychologist, can substantially increase and add to the overall cost of your case. Even uncontested cases resolved without litigation can become more expensive if the negotiations prove to be more difficult than expected.

Filing Fees and Other  Costs Also Affect Your Overall Expenses

In addition to legal fees for your attorney, you can expect to pay filing fees and other costs in a child custody case. The initial filing fee depends on whether you are filing for divorce or only for custody, if you are not married to the other parent. There are also fees for filings such as motions and for your attorney to enter their appearance in your matter. If you need to obtain a child custody evaluation, the cost will be substantial, and will be greater if you are obtaining an individual evaluation rather than sharing the cost of one with your other parent. 

Reach Out to Our Law Firm to Discover How Much It Costs to Get Custody

While we understand that hiring a lawyer to get custody of a child comes with costs, if you suspect your son or daughter’s other parent is unfit, you need to act now. Reach out to the family lawyers at Moskowitz Law Group for an explanation of our fees.

We will do our best to create a plan that will be uncontested by the other parent, to help you save costs, whenever possible. While our compassionate team understands parenthood is priceless, we also know budgets matter, too.