Did I make a mistake hiring a lawyer outside of my county to handle my child custody case?
The question is whether the attorney you hired is experienced in the county in which your case is pending. For example, I live in Salt Lake County, Utah, but routinely handle cases in bordering and even distant counties, as do many other attorneys like I.
So hiring an attorney “outside of my county” is only a problem if that attorney has no idea what he or she is doing with your case, no idea how things are handled in the local courts. Ask your attorney how “comfortable” he or she is working in your county, how familiar with the judges and customs, etc. Ask other attorneys whom you know reside and work in your county if they know anything about your attorney.
Finally, sometimes an outsider is a benefit, not a detriment. The “good old boy” network can sometimes result in the client’s interests being subordinate to getting along; an outsider who isn’t beholden to the network or ensuring he or she is popular with the regulars can often mean you get superior legal representation. Analyze your situation and determine whether your attorney is doing the best job for the money. Where your attorney lives is rarely a deciding factor.
Utah Family Law, LC | divorceutah.com | 801-466-9277