Child Custody Lawyers Near Me — Texas DFW Family Attorneys
Co-Founding Partners
Texas Bar verified. Reggie London (Texas Bar No. 24043514) and Njeri London (Texas Bar No. 24043266) are the co-founding partners of L and L Law Group, PLLC — based at 5899 Preston Rd, Suite 101 in Frisco, Texas (Collin County), with many 5-star Google reviews, and available 24/7 for criminal defense consultations.
Table of Contents
Custody-specific expertise needed
Not all family law attorneys handle custody equally well:
- Custody specialists. Custody-focused practice
- High-conflict custody experience. Specific patterns
- Trial experience. Many divorces settle; custody more often contested
- Cross-examination skill. Critical in contested custody
- Custody evaluator relationships. Local network
- Mental health knowledge. Often relevant
- Family violence awareness. When applicable
- CPS proceedings familiarity. Sometimes overlap
- Criminal defense coordination ability. When applicable
- Client preparation skills. Testimony coaching essential
Finding custody attorneys
- Texas Board Certified family law specialists. tbls.org — most rigorous credential
- State Bar of Texas referral. texasbar.com
- Local bar association referrals. County-specific
- Criminal defense attorney referrals. When DV cases involved
- Mental health professional referrals. Therapists working with custody clients
- Other family law attorney referrals
- Online directories. Avvo, Martindale, Super Lawyers — verify reviews
- Local custody evaluator recommendations
- Personal recommendations. Sometimes from those in similar situations
- Initial consultations with multiple attorneys
Evaluating custody attorneys
Specific questions for custody attorney consultation:
- What percentage of practice is custody specifically?
- How many contested custody cases handled?
- Trial experience with custody?
- Custody evaluator relationships in this county?
- Approach for cases like mine?
- Experience with [specific case issue: alienation, family violence, substance abuse, mental health]?
- Cross-examination strategy?
- Client preparation approach?
- How do you handle high-conflict cases?
- What's your assessment of my case?
- What outcomes typical in similar cases?
- Fees and structure?
DFW custody attorney options
DFW custody attorney concentration:
- Dallas County. Substantial custody bar; comprehensive options
- Tarrant County. Significant capacity; mid-conflict cases common
- Collin County (Frisco, Plano, McKinney). Affluent demographics; complex high-asset cases; conservative judges
- Denton County. Suburban demographic; family-focused
- Specialist availability. Concentrated in major metros
- Smaller counties. Sometimes refer to Dallas/DFW attorneys
Cost considerations
- Hourly $250-$700+/hour. Specialists higher
- Initial retainer $5,000-$15,000+. Custody specialists premium
- Uncontested custody. $2,000-$5,000 typical
- Contested custody. $15,000-$50,000+
- High-conflict custody. $50,000-$200,000+
- Custody evaluations. $5,000-$15,000 additional
- Expert witnesses. $300-$500/hour additional
- Guardian ad litem. $1,500-$10,000 typical
- Trial costs substantial. $25,000-$100,000+ trial alone
Texas Marijuana Charges by Weight
| Weight | Offense | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2 oz | Class B misdemeanor | Up to 180 days + $2,000 |
| 2-4 oz | Class A misdemeanor | Up to 1 year + $4,000 |
| 4 oz - 5 lb | State jail felony | 180 days-2 years + $10K |
| 5-50 lb | 3rd degree felony | 2-10 years + $10K |
| 50-2,000 lb | 2nd degree felony | 2-20 years + $10K |
| 2,000+ lb | Enhanced 1st degree | 5-99 years/life + $50K |
| Hemp products with delta-9 THC ≤ 0.3% are legal under HB 1325 (2019) | ||
Have a Texas legal question?
Call L and L Law Group for a free, confidential consultation. We handle criminal defense across Collin, Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant counties.
Call (972) 370-5060In our practice defending Texas criminal cases, we have represented clients in Collin, Dallas, Denton, and Tarrant County criminal courts on the full Texas Penal Code and Health & Safety Code spectrum. Reggie's prosecutor background in Dallas County means we know the State's evidentiary playbook; Njeri's trial-trained motion practice anchors the suppression-driven defense work.
Key Legal Terms
- Penalty Group
- Texas Health & Safety Code § 481.102-481.105 classification of controlled substances by abuse potential and accepted medical use. Determines weight tiers and punishment ranges.
- Article 38.23
- Texas Code of Criminal Procedure exclusionary rule. Evidence obtained in violation of any federal or Texas constitutional or statutory provision is inadmissible against the accused.
- Aggregation
- Texas H&S § 481.002(5) rule that the total weight of any controlled substance, including adulterants and dilutants, counts toward the offense weight tier.
- 3g Offense
- CCP Article 42A.054 list of offenses ineligible for judicial probation and requiring 50% sentence served before parole eligibility (formerly Article 42.12 § 3g).
- Pretrial Diversion
- Pre-charge alternative under CCP Article 32.02 in which the prosecution agrees to dismiss charges upon successful completion of conditions (counseling, community service, restitution).
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find a child custody lawyer near me in Texas?
Texas Board Certified family law specialists (tbls.org), State Bar of Texas referral, local bar association, criminal defense attorney referrals for DV cases, mental health professional referrals, online directories with verified reviews. Multiple consultations recommended.
Are custody lawyers different from divorce lawyers?
Not always specialty-distinct, but custody requires specific expertise. Custody specialists have more contested case experience, trial experience, custody evaluator relationships, cross-examination skill. Many family law attorneys handle both; custody specialists may charge premium for expertise.
How much does a custody lawyer cost in DFW?
Hourly $250-$700+. Uncontested custody $2,000-$5,000. Contested custody $15,000-$50,000+. High-conflict $50,000-$200,000+. Custody evaluations $5,000-$15,000 additional. Specialists premium for expertise.
Do I need a custody specialist or can a general family law attorney handle my case?
Depends on case complexity. Simple uncontested custody: family law attorney sufficient. Contested custody: custody-focused attorney with trial experience strongly preferred. High-conflict, family violence allegations, complex cases: custody specialist essential.
How long does custody case take in Texas?
Contested custody typically 9-18 months. High-conflict cases sometimes 2-3+ years. Multiple court appearances, custody evaluation (3-6 months), mediation, trial preparation. Settlement faster but requires both parents' agreement on terms.
