| Child custody battles are usually very difficult both | | | | state to state, and it is important to remind |
| emotionally and financially. It really is critical to | | | | readers that we cannot offer legal advice for |
| remember that irrespective of whether you win | | | | their particular circumstances and they need to |
| or lose in a child custody battle, it will affect not | | | | consult local practitioners for specific legal advice. |
| only you but your children for the rest of their | | | | (In fact, one common error I find for parties is to |
| lives. Basically, can you afford not to have an | | | | not "lawyer up" soon enough. Usually this is |
| attorney? Listen to what one attorney declared: | | | | because of the fear of lawyers' fees, and |
| "Family law is controlled by individual states, and | | | | meanwhile thousands of dollars in a potential |
| while certain major trends are pretty universal, | | | | support award are being lost. |
| particular details of practice and law will vary from | | | | |