Hiring a Child Custody Lawyer in Indiana
How courts in Indiana decide custody, emergency custody, parenting classes, how to check a lawyer's license, and free or low-cost family law help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Indiana: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Contingent fees are allowed except where Rule 1.5(d) or other law prohibits them. The agreement must be a writing signed by the client stating how the fee is figured, including percentages on settlement, trial or appeal, which expenses come out of the recovery and whether before or after the fee is calculated, and any expenses the client owes whether or not they win; at the end, the lawyer gives a written statement of the result and the client's share. Indiana bars contingent fees for criminal defendants and domestic relations fees contingent on securing a dissolution, on the amount of maintenance, support or property settlement, or on obtaining child custody. A contingent fee for a post-judgment domestic relations collection action is allowed if the lawyer advises the client in writing about other collection options and otherwise complies with Rule 1.5(c). |
|---|
Indiana rules to know first
| How custody is decided | Custody is decided by the best interests of the child, with no presumption favoring either parent. Factors include the child's age and sex, the parents' wishes, the child's wishes (given more weight if the child is at least 14), the child's relationships with parents, siblings and others, adjustment to home, school and community, the health of everyone involved, any pattern of domestic or family violence, and care by a de facto custodian. For joint legal custody, the court also considers whether the parents can communicate and cooperate. The Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines also apply to parenting time schedules. Re-verified 2026-10-27. |
|---|---|
| Emergency custody | Under Indiana's interstate custody law, an Indiana court has temporary emergency jurisdiction if the child is present in Indiana and has been abandoned, or emergency action is needed to protect the child because the child, a sibling or a parent is being mistreated or abused or threatened with it. If another state has jurisdiction, the Indiana order lasts only until an order is obtained from that state within the period the court sets. Re-verified 2026-10-27. Source: Ind. Code § 31-21-5-4 |
| Parenting classes | Some Indiana counties require divorcing parents of minor children to attend a seminar and to mediate; for example, the Clark County divorce-with-children packet includes a Notice of Seminar Requirement and a Notice of Mediation Requirement. No statewide requirement was verified; rules vary by county. |
| Grandparents' rights | A grandparent may seek visitation if the child's parent is deceased, the parents' marriage was dissolved in Indiana, or the child was born to unmarried parents (a paternal grandparent only if paternity has been established). The court may grant visitation if it is in the child's best interests, and may consider whether the grandparent has had or tried to have meaningful contact with the child. Re-verified 2026-10-27. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Indiana State Bar Association does not run a statewide referral line; it offers a Find a Lawyer directory (InBar.Reliaguide.com) and information on local resources for attorney referral. The Indiana courts' self-help site also lists Virtual Ask a Lawyer, hosted by the Indianapolis Bar Association (call or chat online). Also: https://www.in.gov/courts/selfservice/resources/ |
|---|---|
| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Indiana Supreme Court's Roll of Attorneys, maintained by the Office of Admissions & Continuing Education, can be searched by last name and, optionally, city. It shows the attorney number, name, address and phone on file with the Clerk, the date admitted to practice in Indiana, and the status of the attorney's license. You can also call Admissions and Continuing Education at 317-232-2552 to confirm license status, whether formal charges are pending and whether the lawyer has been disciplined before. Roll of Attorneys search: https://courtapps.in.gov/rollofattorneys |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Grievances about Indiana lawyers go to the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission (staffed by the Office of Judicial & Attorney Regulation). Submit the Request for Investigation form online, or print and mail it to 251 N. Illinois Street, Suite 500, Indianapolis, IN 46204; call (317) 232-1807 to have a form mailed. Include the lawyer's name, any court cause number, a short statement of the conduct, and copies of supporting documents. The Commission does not recover money, file criminal charges or give legal advice, and fee disputes generally fall outside discipline unless the fee is clearly unreasonable. A grievance cannot be withdrawn once filed. Disciplinary history is public once formal charges are filed; Supreme Court discipline orders since 2003 are posted online. Discipline decisions: https://www.in.gov/courts/public-records/orders/discipline |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Indiana Legal Services, the state's LSC-funded legal aid organization, "provides free civil legal assistance to eligible low-income people throughout the State of Indiana" (indianalegalservices.org). Indiana Legal Help (IndianaLegalHelp.org) helps with cases, forms and finding no-cost or low-cost legal aid, and Indiana.FreeLegalAnswers.org lets qualifying people ask volunteer attorneys questions for free. The courts' Self-Service Legal Center provides information and forms for people representing themselves. LSC grantee list: https://www.lsc.gov/about-lsc/our-grantees |
|---|
Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026.
How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.