Laura Loraine Davenport

Laura Loraine Davenport

4.5
Rating: 6.9

Licensed for 18 years

Child custody Lawyer at Lafayette, LA
Practice Areas: Child Custody, Divorce & Separation, Child Support, Family

730 Jefferson Street, Lafayette, LA

About Laura

Biography

Practice Areas

4

Practice Areas

Child Custody 50%

Custody and visitation are perhaps the most difficult aspects of a divorce, and can be especially difficult for the children involved. The experience of your lawyer in a custody case makes all the difference. Laura Davenport is committed to helping you achieve an effective resolution

19 years

50%
Divorce and Separation 30%

Divorce can be one of the most stressful and traumatizing events in a person's life, taking an immense emotional toll upon the family members involved. Whether contested or uncontested, the dissolution of a marriage often involves a complex web of emotional, financial and legal issues. Laura Davenport treats her clients with respect and dignity. She responds promptly to phone calls and e-mails with patience and compassion and takes great pride in handling divorce and family cases the right way

19 years

30%
Child Support 15%

Child support in Louisiana is governed by guidelines that consider the income of both parties involved, the child custody arrangement, and the number of children. These guidelines are presumptive and are followed closely by the Courts. The courts may deviate from the guidelines if the parties agree to a separate arrangement, have a nontraditional child custody arrangement, or if it is in the best interests of the child.

19 years

15%
Family 5%

19 years

5%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Retainer

Always


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

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Licenses

Licensed in Louisiana for 18 years

State: Louisiana

Acquired: 2007

Eligible to Practice Law

Lawyer disciplined by state licensing authority in 2021

Location

Law Offices of Laura Loraine Davenport

730 Jefferson Street, Lafayette, LA, 70501

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Laura Loraine Davenport's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.5 /5.0

15 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (15) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.

Showing 1 - 1 of 1 review | Practice Area Knowledge

Posted by anonymous | July 25, 2019 | Hired Attorney | Family

Child Custody Case

Hired this attorney because of an immediate need for one. I spent many many hours and days gathering information to prove to the court that what my ex-husband was alleging was not only false but down right lies that he made under oath. Certain information was requested from him which cost me over $...400, and she stated he HAD to provide the info. His attorney requested the same from me, and again I spent many hours and days gathering all requested info. This was all provided to my attorney clearly marked with dates, texts, and recordings. I was told that the info I provided was too confusing and not how she wanted it done, even tho I did it the way she requested. I therefore had to spend the rest of the day (4hrs) at $300/hr to go over and explain what I had done while she typed it out......so this was another $1200 that she had right in front of her but was too lazy to go thru it herself. When she told me she was goin to review my documentation over an extended weekend, she later told me spent the weekend in coconut oil and relaxed and did nothing with my file. Another time she told me she was not going to work on a weekend, even tho our hearing time was approaching. When we got to the hearing officer, my ex didn’t have half of the paperwork that she had filed for in court , but I had all of mine. My ex lied about so many things and provided false documentation of his work. The hearing officer basically only wanted to know where my daughter wanted to live. She was 14. She had first said with me, and then later changed her mind and wanted to stay with her dad. He made a lot of promises to her. Now I am being totally alienated from her by her father and step-mother. Laura said judges do not believe in that and just accept what the hearing officer said or she would have to continue charging me by the hour. At this point I had already paid $6,000 and nothing was done. She did not say a word to the hearing officer while I was with them about any of the lies, or lack of information he provided, which she had told me he HAD to. I had proof of everything he accused me and my husband of as being totally false. I ended up with joint custody, he is domiciliary parent. She told me at the very beginning even before hiring her that he was going to end up with custody because that’s where my daughter wanted to live. I believe she took my case knowing this, and I wanted to prove his perjury and more than anything I wanted my daughter with me. Of course since he did not provide all the information about his work, SSDI etc, it was just accepted as to what he stated. It seems no one cares what is in the child’s best interest, and if you can’t afford it, too bad.

Laura Davenport

Replied last July 25, 2019

Dear Anonymous: I am sorry that your custody case did not turn out as you would have liked. I wish you would have left your name so that I might respond to you individually. I will attempt to address some of your concerns. Please note that having a client present while I "[type] out" does not increase the cost of preparation. A client incurs the cost of the preparation of a response whether the response is "typed out" with the client present or in the client's absence. Having a client present saves costs in that the client can save attorney time by explaining the items presented and addressing any questions/concerns during the process; thus giving the attorney better insight into the information provided. Your statement that I informed you that you should "accept what the hearing officer said or [I} would have to continue charging by the hour" may need some clarification. In Louisiana, we have what is called the "Bergeron Standard". This is why I discourage objections to Hearing Officer Recommendations; this is explained in great detail and is even included in the handouts during my initial consults. I do charge by the hour, but this has never been a reason I suggest no objection be made. Stating that I "did not say a word to the hearing officer while [you] were with {the hearing officer]" is probably an accurate statement, though again, I do not know who I am addressing this response. Typically, he attorneys make their argument to the Hearing Officer for the one to two hours that you remain sitting in the hallway waiting to be called into the conference. By the time you arrive in the room, the Hearing Officer has heard the argument of counsel and wants to hear directly from the parties to the case. In that my practice is solely focused upon custody and divorce, I do try to take weekends off. From the tone of your comment, I can see that you desired an attorney that would work through weekends and holidays on your case. I must maintain my physical and mental health in order to insure strong representation. If you would like to discuss the matter further, please contact me. I would be happy to address any of your concerns.

See All Client Reviews

Laura Loraine Davenport's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Laura
Jeanne Marie Bourque headshot
Jeanne Bourque

Child custody lawyer | Jan 02

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Laura is passionate, professional, and personal - she will keep you informed every step of the way. In that regard, she is prompt returning calls and honest and straightforward - no fluff here - Laura is the real deal! I endorse and highly recommend attorney Laura Davenport."

Rachel Broussard Godley headshot
Rachel Godley

Family lawyer | Jun 08

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Stephen Rue headshot
Stephen Rue

Family lawyer | Jun 22

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Joshua Slavone Guillory headshot
Joshua Guillory

Child custody lawyer | Feb 17

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse Ms. Laura Davenport. She is an advocate for her clients. She is extremely knowledgeable about the law, and she is constantly looking for ways to better her clients' position. Laura is passionate, ethical, and hard-working. Laura is an excellent lawyer, and I am proud to endorse her."

Thomas Anthony Thomassie IV headshot
Thomas Thomassie

Family lawyer | Feb 13

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Laura is a dedicated and knowledgable attorney whom I fully endorse."

View All Endorsements
Shane Michael Mouton headshot
Shane Mouton

Family lawyer

Joshua Slavone Guillory headshot
Joshua Guillory

Child custody lawyer

Michael D. Conroy headshot
Michael Conroy

Family lawyer

Thomas Anthony Thomassie IV headshot
Thomas Thomassie

Family lawyer

Experience

Rating:  6.9 (Good)

Professional misconduct

This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2021.

Public Reprimand issued in LA, 2021

updated on 01/28/2022

Public reprimand means an attorney did something wrong but may still practice law. The State gives the lawyer a public reprimand in hopes that he or she will not repeat the behavior. Details of the infraction are made part of the public record.

Honors

2011

Outstanding Attorney Award, Louisiana State Bar Association

2010

Outstanding Attorney Award, Lafayette Bar Association

Work Experience

2009 - Present

owner/operator, Laura L. Davenport, LLC

1997 - 2007

Counselor, Laura L. Davenport

Associations

2009 - Present

Louisiana State Bar Association

Member

2009 - Present

Lafayette Bar

Member

2007 - Present

Louisiana State Bar Association, Lawyers' Assistance Program

Volunteer Attorney

Lafayette Bar Association

Secretary

Sample of Legal Cases

Burns v. Burns, Burns v. Burns, 94 So. 3d 941, 942 (La.App. 3 Cir. 2012) (3rd Circuit Court of Appeals 2012)

Lacombe v. Lacombe, Lacombe v. Lacombe, 85 So. 3d 721, 723 (La.App. 3 Cir. 2) (3rd Circuit Court of Appeals 2012)

See More Legal Cases

Education

2007

Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center

JD - Juris Doctor

2001

Schreiner University

M. Ed.

1995

Lamar University

LCDC

1982

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge

BA

N/A

Stephen F. Austin State University

MA English Literature

N/A

Texas Tech

Speaking Engagements

2014

Lafayette Bar Association

Working with Addicted Clients

2010

LAP Annual Conference

Lawyer's Assistance Program

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

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What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline
    This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2021
    Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
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