How to Find a Family Lawyer in Scranton, Pennsylvania, for Parental Rights

Finding the right attorney is important in a parental rights case.

Regardless of whether the mother or father is searching, finding the right attorney to fight for parental rights is nothing to take lightly, especially if the custodial parent does not want the non-custodial parent to have rights to the child. Every day, the courts are hearing cases regarding divorce or child custody. More often than not, the parent who gets the better end of the deal is represented by an attorney who is well informed and respected. Finding a qualified family law attorney in Scranton, PA, is not as difficult as it may seem.

Things You'll Need

• Telephone
• Yellow Pages

Instructions

1. Contact the Pennsylvania Bar Association. The Pennsylvania Bar Association offers a lawyer referral service to residents of 45 Pennsylvania counties, including Lackawanna County, which is where Scranton is located. The service works with attorneys from a variety of fields. After being asked some qualifying questions, callers are matched with an attorney who works in the correct field. Contacting the referral service is free. As of 2011, an initial 30-minute consultation with any attorney found using the service incurs a fee of $30, with half of the fee going to the Pennsylvania Bar Association lawyer referral service. The Pennsylvania Bar Association can be contacted by calling [phone].

2. Check the Yellow Pages. A quick check of the yellow pages will net a huge list of various attorneys that work in numerous fields. Contact several attorneys and meet with those that offer a free consultation to discuss the case. The more attorneys that you meet with, the more likely it is that one can be hired with confidence. Many attorneys take out larger ads in the yellow pages in order to garner more attention. While it is not necessarily a bad idea to use these attorneys, do not assume that a larger ad means a better attorney.

3. Ask for recommendations. Contact friends, family members, co-workers or anyone else who has experienced a similar situation. If they got the parental rights that they wanted and feel the attorney did a good job, they will be very vocal in their recommendations. The same can be said for someone who dealt with a bad attorney. If someone did not receive stellar service, they will not be shy about letting it be known.

Tips & Warnings

• Before hiring an attorney, contact the Pennsylvania Bar Association to check on any disciplinary action that has been taken against their firm.

• Be leery of firms that take on too many clients. You want an attorney that is going to be there for you during your case and not pass you off to an assistant every time you have a concern.

References

• Pennsylvania Bar Association: Lawyer Referral Service