As a Family Law paralegal, assisting clients with regard to child custody and child support is an important skill used daily. A paralegal may be the first point of contact for a client. Sometimes, when a client comes to your office in the early stage of their case, they are like a deer in headlights. As a paralegal, we can help give them direction and guidance.

Helping a client navigate a child support case can be challenging because there are so many documents necessary. You would be surprised at how many people do not know how to access their financial information, insurance information, or child care information – all of which are necessary to calculate child support. It is the paralegal’s duty to walk them through how to obtain this type of information. Another challenge is when the party that has to pay child support is resentful of having to pay. They think they are paying the other person money for that parent to use when in reality, it is for the benefit of the children. Paralegals need to remind clients that child support helps to pay for food, clothing, and housing for their children. Keeping clients focused on the needs of their children is key in a relationship between a paralegal and their client.

Additional challenges arise when child custody is involved. The mother or father could either be a very involved parent or not involved at all. Many parents are concerned about what time they will get with their children, and as a paralegal it is your duty to help them navigate what information is needed to help their custody case. In preparing custody documents for an attorney, it is necessary to get text messages, emails, or other information regarding a client’s communication with the other parent. This is challenging for both clients and paralegals, as many do not know how to access this information. Another challenge is that child custody schedules have significantly changed over the last 20 years. Many clients expect the court to grant custody to the primary custodian; however, in more recent years many courts have shifted to a more equal custodial schedule between parents. Clients often do not expect this to be the case, and as a paralegal it is necessary to help clients focus on what evidence might be needed to advocate for what schedule the client wants to request at Court.

Additionally, custody cases are often an emotional rollercoaster for parents and sometimes, even grandparents are emotionally involved. This requires paralegals to manage expectations because if the parties can come to a mutual agreement and work together for the benefit of the children, everyone can benefit from a healthy relationship with the children. As a paralegal, it is important to help clients keep perspective and remind them, gently, that the ultimate goal is to do what is in the best interest of their children.

The most difficult task we have as paralegals is helping our clients focus on the relevant parts of their case. Emotions often can cloud that person’s ability to think clearly and realistically about a custody schedule or child support award. This is particularly true when one party may have had an extramarital affair or if there was abuse during the marriage. These factors may not have an impact on custody or child support cases, but as a paralegal you have to carefully maneuver around their feelings to get the background information your attorney needs.

Ultimately, paralegals must be patient, calm and understanding when dealing with clients. We help clients work with their attorney to prepare their case for negotiation or litigation, but we also do so much more. We set realistic expectations regarding what information is needed, help clients focus on the most important aspects of their case, and help frame the client’s concerns so they are best equipped to move forward toward a resolution for themselves and for their children. The relationship between a paralegal and a client is key to a successful child custody and child support case.

(If someone you know needs legal assistance, have them contact an attorney for a consultation. It is imperative to get legal advice, even if someone is looking to represent themselves.)

Peggy Pardue is a North Carolina Certified Paralegal with Hampson Family Law. She is a member of the North Carolina Bar Association Paralegal Division – Family Law Section, she is the liaison for the Paralegal Division for the Family Law Section, and she is a Notary Public. Peggy has volunteered as a proctor for the North Carolina Paralegal Certification Exam. Peggy is a former Council Member for the Paralegal Division of the North Carolina Bar Association. Peggy began working as a Paralegal in 2003 with Meredith J. McGill, P.A., and continued when the firm’s name changed to McGill & Hampson, P.A. She continued her role as a Family Law Paralegal transitioning to Hampson Family Law when it opened in 2017. Prior to becoming a paralegal, Peggy was with the North Carolina State Board of CPA Examiners, where she worked for seven years in their disciplinary section. Subsequently, she was an Executive Assistant with a local propane company. Peggy was born in Haddonfield, New Jersey, but has been in the Raleigh area since 1969. When she is not working, Peggy enjoys spending time with family, doing home improvement projects, fishing, boating, motorcycle charity rides, and traveling.

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August 8, 2022/by Paralegals