A Child Custody Lawyer Can Protect Your Children's Best Interests

Issues Surrounding Child Custody

Child custody is now referred to as "parental responsibilities" and these decisions are made according to what is best for the children. This includes making determinations as to:

• Where the children will live
• What type of visitation is appropriate
• Which parent will make major decisions regarding health and educational needs

Each case is unique, making it imperative to talk over your needs and the needs of your family with a qualified family law attorney.

Our attorneys know there is nothing more devastating than losing your parental rights. They build solid cases to protect your role in your children's lives.

Depending on the age of the children, the judge may ask for input regarding their preferences, and other factors will be examined during the process. 

Important Considerations

When the court makes decisions regarding the custody of your children, the several issues will be considered: 

• Primary custody: The home where the children spend the majority of their time is given to the parent with primary custody, while the other parent will receive visitation.
• Overnight visitation: When children split their time between parents, there are a certain number of overnight visitation evenings scheduled, so it is clear how many nights each parent will have the children at their home.  
• Pick-up and drop-off schedules: If your children are not old enough to drive or are unable to drive back and forth between parents, it is necessary to develop a pick-up and drop-off schedule for visitation. The timing should be manageable for both parents and the location should be neutral if the parties are unable to agree on one home or the other.
• Vacation and holiday schedules: It is not uncommon for kids to spend every other Christmas or Thanksgiving with one parent, and switch on alternating years. For school breaks and vacations, the time would be split equally in an ideal world. But with the hectic schedules of both parents and children, it is sometimes necessary to come up with a holiday and visitation schedule that allows for children to remain in extracurricular activities, or to spend time with extended family members.
• Grandparent visitation: Many children form a strong bond with their grandparents and should be allowed to continue that relationship when their parents separate or become divorced. The rules for allowing grandparent visitation are similar to those that provide for parental visitation, but there are some limitations on the rights a grandparent has. Each case should be evaluated on its own, so the proper decision can be made.

Sometimes, your interests and those of your children are best served by asking the judge to appoint a Child and Family Investigator (CFI) or Parental Responsibilities Evaluator (PRE). A CFI or PRE investigates your situation and makes recommendations to the court about what custody and visitation should be in your case. This is a critical process in determining long-term custody and parenting rights. Dunsing, Deakins & Galera, LLC, can help you navigate these processes.

What Sets Our Firm Apart

Our team is backed by decades representing clients in family law matters and has been ranked AV® Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell® Lawyer Ratings. We exercise complete transparency into what to expect during a child custody matter and prepare you so there are no surprises.

Your first visit is a free consultation, where an in-depth analysis of your case is made, and your options are clearly presented. We provide individualized attention because we know the needs of our clients are completely unique. We accept all major credit cards and work at reasonable rates to fit many different budgetary needs.

Schedule Your Free Consultation

Our attorneys know there is nothing more devastating than losing your parental rights. They build solid cases to protect your role in your children's lives. To learn more, schedule a consultation online or call our firm at (303) 758-8981.