Q: Ex husband contesting OFP I filed on behalf of daughter. Do I need a lawyer for the hearing?
An OFP was requested against my ex husband as there is a pending dom assault charge against my 13 year old daughter. He is requesting a hearing to contest, he has a lawyer and character witnesses. I have had a guardian ad litem visit my home to talk with daughter, CPS visited my daughter at school and now they are coming to my home this afternoon to meet with me and my son (from my current marriage). Do I need a lawyer for the hearing?
A: You’re not required to have a lawyer but I would recommend it. When your petitioning the court for an OFP you must prove that domestic abuse has occurred by a family or household member. When requesting an OFP on behalf of a minor child, you must show abuse against the child as well. It is helpful to have an attorney assist with cross examination and presenting the legal arguments to the judge.
1 user found this answer helpful
A: It's better to be represented by a lawyer for any court proceeding, than to be unrepresented. This is even more apparent where the opposing party is represented by a lawyer. However, there is no legal requirement to be represented by a lawyer. You can represent yourself, though that will be a disadvantage to you.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
