The price of justice?

I was always told that everyone in the United States was protected by
the laws of this country. If you have a problem, you can go to court
and have a reasonable chance of coming out with a just decision. That
illusion was shattered the first time I tried to contact a lawyer to
navigate the confusing system of laws. Prices start at over $100/hour
for even new lawyers.

What is the average guy supposed to do? Is justice only available if
you have enough money? When you get into areas of custody and child
support, you are talking about decisions that are life-changing. If a
guy was facing 10 years for a criminal offense, he'd have access to
legal help even if he was broke. I don't see why it should be any
different for someone about to lose their kids and 18+ years of CS.

Dave wrote:
I was always told that everyone in the United States was protected by
the laws of this country. If you have a problem, you can go to court
and have a reasonable chance of coming out with a just decision. That
illusion was shattered the first time I tried to contact a lawyer to
navigate the confusing system of laws. Prices start at over $100/hour
for even new lawyers.

What is the average guy supposed to do? Is justice only available if
you have enough money? When you get into areas of custody and child
support, you are talking about decisions that are life-changing. If a
guy was facing 10 years for a criminal offense, he'd have access to
legal help even if he was broke. I don't see why it should be any
different for someone about to lose their kids and 18+ years of CS.

lol, $100/hour? My lawyer (before I canned him and went pro se) was
$350/hour. Just to call him and ask him a simple, 20-second question
would result in an invoice for $75.

It's part of the custody game, Dave. If they cannot break you
emotionally with unfair and unjust decisions, endless delays and
continuances, selective application of court rules, etc., then they
break you financially. Only the most determined, well-funded fathers
stand a chance. The rest run out of money or give up to save their own
sanity and mental health -- these guys are then labeled "abandoners" of
their children.

Join a father's group, start reading the Family Code and Local court
rules online, read books about representing yourself, sit in on some
custody hearings at the courthouse. You will save untold amounts of
money by representing yourself, and opposing attorney hate going up
against a pro-se litigant.

Dave wrote:
I was always told that everyone in the United States was protected by
the laws of this country. If you have a problem, you can go to court
and have a reasonable chance of coming out with a just decision. That
illusion was shattered the first time I tried to contact a lawyer to
navigate the confusing system of laws.

yep. Actually my illusion was shattered when I learned about ex parte
motions! I came home from work, found my wife and son out and so I
started doing some work around the house. About 7:30 pm on a Friday
night I answered a knock on the dorr. It was the police! With a court
order requiring me to immediately vacate my home, the home I owned
before I was married! LOL! Stupid me! I had no clue such things were
even possible in America without any prior notice of court or hearing
or anything! LOL Nice maneuver that works wonderfully to dump the dad
and then he spends the rest of the 2-3 year litigation process trying,
but never achieving parity.

I guess the good news is that we all got to enjoy decades of mis-placed
idyllic belief in the fairy tale taught to us in 5th grade civics
class.

What is the average guy supposed to do? Is justice only available if
you have enough money?

No, but close. Which is why I posted how you need to learn the law
yourself and with an attorney coaching you, you do as much as you
possibly can on your own.

$100/hour. Hmm....I have no idea where you found that price...here it
is between $300-$500, though that is for court time.

When you get into areas of custody and child
support, you are talking about decisions that are life-changing. If a
guy was facing 10 years for a criminal offense, he'd have access to
legal help even if he was broke. I don't see why it should be any
different for someone about to lose their kids and 18+ years of CS.

I know. Many of the posters here know.

This is why this can crush and destroy NCP's. You see that here too.
The only way I know is to learn as much as you can yourself...this is
too important to blindly trust anyone with; secondarily as I mentioned
before, almost no one can afford the legal fees involved in paying an
attorney to fully (i.e. properly) litigate both the trial plus motions
which are nearly guaranteed to follow for at least several years;
thirdly NCP attorney's get burned out...for obvious reasons which is
yet another reason to learn how to proceed with this by yourself, for
yourself. Take MR's advice and join a local father's group. I think you
don't believe some of us. Which I understand, it is a lot to absorb and
adjust to.

Don

"Dave" wrote in

I was always told that everyone in the United States was protected by
the laws of this country.

Justice is for only those that can afford it!

very true there, if you can't afford a lawyer you get screwed by the
system, be it custody and support matters or CAS/CPS. ANything in
family court requires you to have lots of money even here in Canada
I don't have support issues, Im still with my spouse, we have just lost
our 4 girls to the child protection over lies.

Lisa

On Oct 25, 3:22 pm, "?-?" wrote:
"Dave" wrote in

I was always told that everyone in the United States was protected by
the laws of this country.Justice is for only those that can afford it!