Be Informed Before Fighting for Your Child’s Custody

Divorce and separation are considered to be the most complex and complicated situations in the life of an individual, and hence it is important to deal with the issue in the most well planned and responsible manner. Most importantly, if children are involved in this situation, then you will need to make sure that you handle the situation in the most effective manner. For this you will need to hire an attorney, who will assist you to settle the disputes over custody, visitation and child support.

The main concern of the law is to ensure the best interest of your child as he/she needs to be protected from any kind of physical, emotional and psychological harm that might arise due to their parent’s separation. The decision made during the court case pertains to the medical care and education of the child and visitation schedule is also set by the court.

Ways To Handle a Child Custody Battle

A child custody battle is a stressful and complicated time for a couple who are heading for a divorce or separation and it is important to make informed decisions with regards to taking care of children during and after the process. You either have the option of resolving the agreement with mutual consent, but if both of you can’t come to terms with the child custody, then you will need the help of an attorney who will help you to resolve the issues. Learn more about the benefits of hiring an experienced and skilled attorney as they are aware of intricacies of state law. Whether you have decided to share custody with your ex partner or if you intend to seek sole custody of your child, you will need to look for a family law attorney who will assist you with child custody hearing.

Child Custody Battle – The Process

Craft parenting plan

Child custody involves crafting a parent plan where you need to include the details of the agreement that you make with your partner. The plan should include parenting time schedule, details about vacations and holidays, ways of contacting the child and transportation arrangements of child while visiting either of the parents.

Selecting visitation

The place the child lives permanently is known as primary placement or physical custody and the parenting time of the child by the other parent is known as visitation or secondary placement. The attorney will help you in your case for helping you set the visitation schedule that should match the time of the parents and child. It is important that both parents are equally involved in the care and upbringing of the child so that he/she is not deprived of love and affection by either of the parents.

Determining visitation rights – factors to consider

• Residence of parents
• Financial status of parents
• Moral character of parents

After deciding on the terms and conditions of the child custody, the parents need to make an arrangement by any of the three methods which include:

• Verbal agreement
• Written agreement
• Consent order

Creating a parent plan is the most important part of a child custody battle as you will need to write, sign and date the agreement involving your child care and the plan can also be turned into consent order by the court. This is done for keeping the best interest of the child in mind and each parent should have meaningful and significant involvement in the life of the child.