Legal Question in Family Law in California

custody cost

hi: i have 2 friends who fought for custody of thier one child. both claim the cost over 2 yrs were over 30,000 dollars.both have custody after thier trials now.in your experience,is this average or high for this legal battle.should i give up,because of this,even tho i know the childs best interest is in jepordy. sincerely,tom


Asked on 9/15/01, 2:43 pm

3 Answers from Attorneys

John A. Giffen Law Offices of John A. Giffen

Re: custody cost

That is on the high side but it depends on the facts. Please give me more details and I can give you a pretty good idea about how much it would cost.

I need to know if the father is presumed or alleged. (several factors determine that) Was bm married to him, living with him, is his name on bc, has he had child in his home. has he supported the child or mother, if so for how long and how much,Is he a bad guy or is he genuinely interested in raising his child? When was child born, where was child born, Is mother cooperative. Is fathers family behind him, Is mothers family cooperative?

Please give more details and I can better advise you. It is possible to fight and win for a couple of thousand dollars depending on the circumstances. Most attorneys that do this type of litigation are in the $200 -300 dollar per hour range. What kind of financial risk are you willing to take if any? What county do you live in. What County or State does the mother live in. Please email me or call 1 800 955-9504 for a free consultation by phone.

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Answered on 10/26/01, 11:05 am
Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq. The Law Offices of Norman Gregory Fernandez & Associates

Re: custody cost

I do this kind of litigation and am presently involved in many Child Custody matters. If the Court orders a 730 evaluation, and if the 730 evaluation goes against a party and they decide to hire an independed expert 733 witness, and then you do a trial where both evaluators are brough in as experts, etc., the cost can and will get up there. You can expect 2500 dollars plus for each day, just for the evaluators to present in Court. There are many other factors as well. I would provide you with a free legal consultaion if you call me at 818-98-1584 to discuss your case and what you are looking at.

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Answered on 10/26/01, 12:40 pm
Ken Koury Kenneth P. Koury, Esq.

Re: custody cost

every case is different.

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Answered on 10/26/01, 2:47 am


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