How useful are private lawyers in family court?

Is the child in the DCF system? I am guessing he is since you posted here. Bottam line, the parents have all the rights. Private attorneys can not get around Florida law which gives the parents a min. of 9 months to get their children back. Very few exceptions apply to the 9month rule. It has only been 9weeks, unless the mother murders someone, you have a long road ahead. If you do get an attorney do not get a family law attorney. Family law and dependency are two different sets of laws in this state. You need an attorney that knows dependency law.

Thanks so much for the advice. I messed up some info. My nephew was abandoned with my parents in December 2007. My husband and I have recently received him since my parents are older. We have had him for 9 weeks but he has been in DFCS custody for over a year. Does that change things?

If you PM me I can send you our attorneys name and email. She was very GOOD but also quite expensive. She used to work for many years within DCF so she knows the caseworkers and how the system works.

Does the child have a GAL? Or an assigned attorney? Ask the SW about that and contact him/her. They may be able to help. If not I can send you our attorneys name and email we used here. You didn't say where in Florida you are though.

The fact that he has been in DCF care for over a year does change things. The previous poster mentioned a GAL. Does he have one? They can help a lot, or at least explain whey they are not going after TPR right now. Most GAL's are more willing to go TPR when the state doesn't want too.