- Arizona is the state with the highest interest in custody attorneys, with 80.48 average monthly searches per 100,000 residents.
- ‘Family law attorney,’ ‘child custody attorney near me’ and ‘child custody lawyer’ were the most common searches in Arizona related to child custody battles.
- Arizona residents seek legal help from custody attorneys 51% more than the average American.
New research reveals which states parents are struggling the most with co-parenting, as shown by the highest search interest in custody attorneys.
The study, pulled together by Orange County divorce law firm, Sarieh Law Offices, analyzed Google searches over the last 12 months for keywords related to child custody battles, such as ‘child custody attorney’ and ‘free custody lawyer,’ to identify which states are dealing with legal battles the most.
According to the findings, Arizona tops the ranking of the states with the highest interest in custody attorneys.
The state averaged 80.48 monthly searches per 100,000 residents, which is 51% higher than the national average of 53.25 searches per 100,000 people.
The most popular terms residents searched for in the state were ‘family law attorney,’ ‘child custody attorney near me’ and ‘child custody lawyer.’
Colorado has the second-highest need for legal help, with 79.07 searches per 100,000 residents – 48% higher than the U.S. average.
In third is Oregon at 74.33 searches per 100,000 people, which is 40% higher than the national average search rate.
The 10 states with the most searches related to child custody battles
| Rank | State | Average monthly searches per 100,000 residents |
| 1. | Arizona | 80.48 |
| 2. | Colorado | 79.07 |
| 3. | Oregon | 74.33 |
| 4. | North Carolina | 74.32 |
| 5. | Virginia | 71.45 |
| 6. | Arkansas | 65.19 |
| 7. | New Mexico | 64.99 |
| 8. | Alabama | 64.78 |
| 9. | Georgia | 64.74 |
| 10. | Ohio | 63.06 |
At the other end of the scale, those in Maine have the fewest issues when it comes to custodianship, with only 32.84 searches per 100,000 people, which is 38% lower than the U.S. average.
Parents in Montana have the second least trouble with guardianship of children, searching 37% less than the national average, with only 33.54 searches per 100,000 residents.
In third is New Hampshire at 34.24 searches per 100,000 people – still 36% below the national average.
The 10 states with the fewest searches related to child custody battles
| Rank | State | Average monthly searches per 100,000 residents |
| 1. | Maine | 32.84 |
| 2. | Montana | 33.54 |
| 3. | New Hampshire | 34.24 |
| 4. | Rhode Island | 34.44 |
| 5. | Vermont | 34.49 |
| 6. | Massachusetts | 35.78 |
| 7. | Hawaii | 36.18 |
| 8. | Alaska | 37.84 |
| 9. | Delaware | 38.20 |
| 10. | New Jersey | 40.03 |
Commenting on the findings, Wail Sarieh from Sarieh Law Offices says,
“While the differences in searches from state to state may partly be influenced by where have higher divorce rates, it is also an indication of how easily parents find it to come to an agreement on guardianship.
“For some, it can be a straightforward case of joint custody, however for others, it can get complicated, for example if both parents want primary custody.
“Having a lawyer can help if you are struggling to reach a decision, especially if you and your ex-partner don’t have a civil relationship.
“It can be hard to remove any outside factors, such as resentment over why you and your spouse are divorcing, from the equation, but ultimately your children’s best interests are what matters and getting into heated arguments will only slow down the process.
“You are better off demonstrating that you are making a conscious effort to have a healthy relationship with your ex for the sake of your children.
“A custody lawyer can help with this by acting as an objective figure who can calmly communicate your side in situations where you feel you may not be able to, hopefully helping resolve any issues with the least amount of stress possible.”
Research and analysis provided by Sariehlawoffices in Orange County, California.
