Child Custody
The issue of child custody is the most common dispute in family court. As should be expected, parents are extremely concerned with the safety, education, and overall wellbeing of their children. Custody decisions become even more difficult following a divorce or breakup, as parents tend to be distrustful of each other at these times. Regardless of the state of affairs between the parents, judges will always decide custody based on “the best interests of the child.”
In an effort to do what is best for the child, the court can assign legal and physical custody to one parent, or these rights can be shared. A typical schedule would allow the child to spend weekends, summers, and alternating holidays with the non-custodial parent, with both parents having an equal say in major decisions affecting the child. When approving a custody schedule, the court will do what it can to avoid unnecessary disruptions to the child’s life.
You want time with your children. But can you have joint? shared? legal? physical or sole custody? It is our mission to safeguard your parenting time with your children and secure your future.
- Joint or Shared Custody: Parents who don’t live together have joint custody (also called “Shared Custody”) when they share the decision-making responsibilities for, and/or physical control and custody of, their children.
- Legal Custody: Legal custody of a child means having the right and the obligation to make decisions about a child’s upbringing.
- Physical Custody: Physical custody means that a parent has the right to have a child live with them.
- Sole Custody: One parent can have either sole legal custody or sole physical custody of a child.
You cherish your kids. Whether you need to establish custody arrangements because of separation or divorce or you need change an existing parenting time plan or you (or your ex) are relocating out of state and need to understand your legal rights, DeZao Law can help.
