Fathers Rights attorney in Idaho Falls area?

[9kiddos]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Idaho/California

After a 15 year marriage, my ex-wife cheated and took off to Idaho with her lover (now husband) and my children, and I'm desperately trying to find a good attorney to get my children back (I'm in California). We've been fighting this HARD in court for a while, but she has a VERY good attorney and has gotten away with it. Unfortunately, our California divorce decree was extremely vague with most issues being "reserved" for later judgment- and we never went back to resolve them. I have always been a huge part of my children's lives, and I want to continue to be. I drive up to Idaho at least one weekend a month which causes me to accrue huge amounts of debt, in addition to the $15,000 in attorneys fees I've now racked up. It's worth it to be with my babies, but this just isn't fair.

Are there any good fathers' rights/parental alienation attorneys in the Idaho Falls area?

Please help!

 

[CourtClerk]

Wasn't your divorce in CA? Why do you need an attorney in Idaho Falls? Why not go back and settle the reserved issues? No such thing as "father's rights," parents have rights and equal access to their children, that's the law, no matter what plumbing they have.

BTW: PAS is quack psychology, not recognized by the courts. You may not want to lean on that too much.

 

[MichaCA]

Not to be difficult,

yet its my understanding the PAS is quacky, but parental alienation, while hard to prove, is a viable accusation. I sure as heck know its what my ex has used against me from day one.

I get turned off by all the fathers rights groups which seem to fit hand in glove with the parental alienation argument...dad, there is a difference from mom moving and visitation is now a challenge, and mom trying to alienate you from the kids.

 

[frylover]

Wasn't your divorce in CA? Why do you need an attorney in Idaho Falls? Why not go back and settle the reserved issues? No such thing as "father's rights," parents have rights and equal access to their children, that's the law, no matter what plumbing they have.

BTW: PAS is quack psychology, not recognized by the courts. You may not want to lean on that too much.

CC, the OP's post raised a question in my mind. Some attornies DO advertise as a "father's rights attorney". Just for my own curiousity,and maybe so people like this OP don't get screwed by thinking they are getting something they really aren't, what does the term "father's right's attorney" mean?

 

[CourtClerk]

CC, the OP's post raised a question in my mind. Some attornies DO advertise as a "father's rights attorney". Just for my own curiousity,and maybe so people like this OP don't get screwed by thinking they are getting something they really aren't, what does the term "father's right's attorney" mean?

To me, it means absolutely nothing. You will find nothing in the law that speaks specifically of "father's rights." You know why? Because fathers already HAVE rights prescribed under the law, so long as you (1) are the father and (2) exercise those rights.

To me, it's like advertising those credit repair agencies. They advertise to those who are desperate for a certain outcome. Everyone knows the only way to repair your credit is to pay and continue to pay your bills on time. However, there is no shortage of companies that will continue to sell you on there is something in the law that they know that no one else does. Same for these "father's rights" attorneys. It's a fair question though. Inherently, any attorney who takes on a client who happens to be a father, ends up being a "father's rights" attorney, the same way the mother's attorney is the "mother's rights" attorney, and if there is minor's counsel appointed, they become "minor's rights" attorneys.

What do you think criminal defense attorneys do? They protect the rights of the accused. They also are defendant's rights attorneys. Does that make sense at all?

 

[frylover]

That makes sense. So, it sounds as though it's essentially a "marketing phrase."

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Idaho/California

After a 15 year marriage, my ex-wife cheated and took off to Idaho with her lover (now husband) and my children, and I'm desperately trying to find a good attorney to get my children back (I'm in California). We've been fighting this HARD in court for a while, but she has a VERY good attorney and has gotten away with it. Unfortunately, our California divorce decree was extremely vague with most issues being "reserved" for later judgment- and we never went back to resolve them. I have always been a huge part of my children's lives, and I want to continue to be. I drive up to Idaho at least one weekend a month which causes me to accrue huge amounts of debt, in addition to the $15,000 in attorneys fees I've now racked up. It's worth it to be with my babies, but this just isn't fair.

Are there any good fathers' rights/parental alienation attorneys in the Idaho Falls area?

Please help!

How long have mom and the kids been in Idaho?

 

[9kiddos]

They've been there for a year and a half now. Because of this, and subsequent modifications, the case has been moved to Idaho.

The reason I stated the part about alienation is because she makes every effort to keep me from seeing the kids. Until this most recent court order, she dictated exactly when I could and could not see the kids. She would come to where I live in CA to see her family for a week or two and allow me one hour with the kids, and threaten to call the police and report kidnapping if I didn't return them. My kids want to see me. I want to see them. But she throws up every roadblock she can. She minimizes the phone contact I can have, to the point that my kids will sneak to call me from friends' houses. If any miniscule part of the court order is left up to interpretation, or can be misinterpreted in any way, she'll grasp onto it if it benefits her and keeps the kids away from me.

She is so manipulative. She even refuses to allow them to bring any clothes with them, forcing me to buy them new clothes at every weekend visit. She gets $3000, 60% of my income, for child support for 4 kids and doesn't use it on the kids for clothes, toys, belongings, etc, so I send the new clothes with them every time, and yet she still won't let them bring any the next time they're with me.

I am a good father, I love my kids, and I have ALWAYS been involved in their lives. She always told me what a great father I was, until she decided to run off with this guy. She tells the kids now that she wishes that their stepfather was their real father and that I would just disappear. It's not fair at all.

I am a good man. Steady job. Strongly religious, Christian man. No criminal record whatsoever. I don't drink, I don't smoke. I am as clean as clean can be. The only problem is that she found someone else, her "high school sweetheart", and ran off with him, and now she wants to pretend that I don't exist.

I'm exhausted from all of the effort and all of the battles with her whenever we have any contact. My kids are worth it, but I need to find a good attorney who can help me right all of these wrongs and get more time with my babies. THAT is why I was asking for a "fathers rights" attorney- I need someone who is experienced in these kids of cases, who is willing to stand up to her bully of an attorney and try to make things right.

Can anyone help by referring me to a good Idaho Falls atty?

Thanks.

 

[LdiJ]

They've been there for a year and a half now. Because of this, and subsequent modifications, the case has been moved to Idaho.

The reason I stated the part about alienation is because she makes every effort to keep me from seeing the kids. Until this most recent court order, she dictated exactly when I could and could not see the kids. She would come to where I live in CA to see her family for a week or two and allow me one hour with the kids, and threaten to call the police and report kidnapping if I didn't return them. My kids want to see me. I want to see them. But she throws up every roadblock she can. She minimizes the phone contact I can have, to the point that my kids will sneak to call me from friends' houses. If any miniscule part of the court order is left up to interpretation, or can be misinterpreted in any way, she'll grasp onto it if it benefits her and keeps the kids away from me.

She is so manipulative. She even refuses to allow them to bring any clothes with them, forcing me to buy them new clothes at every weekend visit. She gets $3000, 60% of my income, for child support for 4 kids and doesn't use it on the kids for clothes, toys, belongings, etc, so I send the new clothes with them every time, and yet she still won't let them bring any the next time they're with me.

I am a good father, I love my kids, and I have ALWAYS been involved in their lives. She always told me what a great father I was, until she decided to run off with this guy. She tells the kids now that she wishes that their stepfather was their real father and that I would just disappear. It's not fair at all.

I am a good man. Steady job. Strongly religious, Christian man. No criminal record whatsoever. I don't drink, I don't smoke. I am as clean as clean can be. The only problem is that she found someone else, her "high school sweetheart", and ran off with him, and now she wants to pretend that I don't exist.

I'm exhausted from all of the effort and all of the battles with her whenever we have any contact. My kids are worth it, but I need to find a good attorney who can help me right all of these wrongs and get more time with my babies. THAT is why I was asking for a "fathers rights" attorney- I need someone who is experienced in these kids of cases, who is willing to stand up to her bully of an attorney and try to make things right.

Can anyone help by referring me to a good Idaho Falls atty?

Thanks.

Dad, based on this I can tell you that you don't understand what alienation means.

Alienation means that mom, through her actions, has caused the children to not WANT to spend time with you or to be AFRAID to spend time with you. That doesn't appear to be the case here.

What appears to be the case here is that mom is a really rotten co-parent.

You don't need a father's rights attorney...you just need a good attorney to help you fight a rotten co-parent.

 

[20pilot]

I am a good man.

A good man with deeply flawed judgment. You married this woman. You chose to have not one, not two, not three but four kids with her. If she is that evil, did you not see it before you married her? Did you not see it after the first kid and stop? People do not change like that. You chose to keep procreating with a woman that you knew, or should have known, was such a bad person. What is your responsibility in that? Or is your negative perception of her overblown? Is her behavior justified based on your actions? Regardless of which of you is actually the really bad person, you have some serious culpabilities in what is going on and you need to accept your responsibilities. Until you do that, you will never get anywhere. That said....

As for Idaho Falls, it is a small area. Wikipedia lists the area population as 122K. There are most probably 5 to so judges that hear all kinds of cases, about 150 to 200 practicing attorneys and maybe a dozen attorneys that specialize in family law. Most probably all the lawyers in town know each other by name, by face and by reputation. As an outsider, you have the deck stacked against you. From what I have heard, people in ID generally dislike Californians, so you that stacks the deck a bit more. I am pointing all of that to temper your expectations. A good local lawyer is going to work really hard for you, but he will not stick his neck out for an outsider. You will likely not get the benefit of the doubt.

How to find a good layer? Forget about the internet. How do you know if I am recommending a good lawyer or if I am recommending my drinking buddy who really needs the money because business is slow for the speeding ticket clients he normally represents.

You need to physically show up there for a few days. Go and hang out at the courthouse and talk to lawyers. Go to the criminal section where divorce lawyers do not hang out. See who is approachable. There are lots of lawyers waiting around for their turn before the judge. Start up a few conversations. Do not share your tale of woe. They have heard it all and worse. All it will do is keep you from getting cooperation. Ask a the lawyer who is the last guy he would like to see his wife or ex wife hire. Talk to several people. Talk to the person serving at the cafeteria. Talk to the bailifs. If most of them come up with the same name, your task is easy. If that person is your ex's lawyer, you are screwed. Collect a few names and then see if you can make an appointment to see them while you are there.

Do not fall for gimmicks like "father's right attorney" It means they can not sell their services based on their performance. Stay away.

 

[karma1]

May I suggest...

SPARC - Divorce and Custody Help
You will find a huge amount of information, etc... on there.


I strongly disagree that "father's rights attorney" means a marketing phrase. While every parent is supposed to have certain rights regarding their children as dictated by laws, we all know that family law is a fickle thing and so much can depend on the "best interest of the children"...and on a judge.

You can have the absolute best attorney money can buy and although we like to think it's all about the children's best interest, that is not always the case.
However, being armed in court with an attorney that understands the struggle of father's who want to remain constant in their children's lives certainly could not hurt.
Deltabravo.net may have attorney recommendations on there for your situation as I am sure there are folks on there from your state (I don't research every state on there so not sure).
This site also has forms, etc... you can use.

good luck

 

[MichaCA]

I wholeheartedly agree with 20pilots advice. I networked in a similar way (in my case lots of phone calls and consultations with a couple of attorneys) as far as getting a handful of top notch attorneys. And I also agree, what you want is not only a really good attorney, but a good attorney is knows how to be fierce. I made the mistake with my last attorney, she is highly reputable but would not stand up to my ex's shark attorney who has buried me with court ordered restrictions, many ridiculous. If I ever am able to hire a attorney again, I am going to get someone really tough.

IMO, this story is a dime a dozen, no offense. A strong attorney will have dealt with these cases multitudes of times, will know the legal climate, will know whats effective and whats not. Personally, and again IMO, I would not hire an attorney based on a name in the phone book, online, anywhere...I would only do by referral and by an candid consultation with that person.