Few areas of law impact people's lives more than child custody and visitation. If you have children, they're probably the most important thing to you in the world. Now that you and your partner are splitting up, you'll have to resolve where they will live and who gets to make important decisions about their education, health and other matters. If disputes arise, there will need to be a process to settle them.
Often parents are able to negotiate these matters between themselves and draft a written parenting agreement. Hopefully both sides will adhere to what's promised in the agreement. In cases where the parents can't overcome bad feelings or won't abide by a previously negotiated arrangement, a family court judge may step in and make a decision based on his or her assessment of what's in the best interests of the child.
As you begin the process it's valuable to know how to get legal help with custody and visitation issues. Here are some of the ways that a family law attorney can assist you.
Get Legal Help with Child Custody
In a custody dispute, which unfortunately can be one of the most stressful events imaginable, an attorney can:
Get Legal Help with Visitation
While parents often cooperate well when it comes to visitation, sometimes honest disagreements or lingering negative feelings may intrude. To assist you, an attorney can:
How a Choose a Family Law Attorney
Family law attorneys are extensively trained in handling child custody and visitation disputes. Many attorneys who choose this field of law consider it meaningful to assist clients at one of the most difficult and demanding times in their lives.
Your attorney is your legal adviser and advocate, and it's important to find one that you feel comfortable with. While all lawyers must have strong people skills, in no area of law is this more true than family law. Being a top-notch family lawyer requires a mixture of sensitivity when interacting with clients, finesse in dealing with opposing counsel, and toughness and legal acumen in protecting a client's interests if other parties are being stubborn and intransigent.
Get Legal Help for Your Custody and Visitation Case
Figuring out child custody and related issues on your own can be a daunting proposition, legally and emotionally. An attorney's job is to advise you and fight for your interests, matching wits with opposing counsel and defending your rights. If you would like legal help with your custody or visitation case, consider meeting with a family law attorney near you.
