Parents have an obligation to determine a plan for their children’s care regardless of whether they want to leave their marriage or not. This can be accomplished in a few different ways: through mediation, settlement agreements, or a custody ruling in court. An attorney may be of great assistance in any situation, explaining the procedure and making sure everything is done correctly. The best St. Louis child custody attorneys are listed below.
When making decisions about child custody, it may be quite advantageous to have a lawyer who specializes in family law. This encompasses instances pertaining to domestic abuse, child support, paternity, and divorce. With a combined 100 years of expertise, the attorneys at Hais, Hais & Goldberger PC are well-equipped to assist clients with these types of cases. Saint Louis and other locations in Missouri are home to the firm’s offices. In addition to assisting with divorce, property division, and child support enforcement matters, they also file paternity lawsuits to establish paternity.
The courts consider the child’s best interests while making custody decisions. Having a lawyer on your side can help you create a parenting plan that specifies the amount of time each parent will spend with the kid and who will make the legal choices. Also, the attorney should be able to explain the many legalese words and phrases to you.
Deciding who will take care of the kids after a divorce is a major emotional roller coaster. Everyone concerned in a child custody dispute may experience high levels of stress and emotion. Finding a solution that allows you to keep in touch with your child while also protecting their best interests is the goal of any competent child custody attorney.
A judge will often grant both parents combined legal and physical custody. That way, the child will benefit from having both parents involved, which is ideal. In most cases, judges will only award sole custody if there is strong proof that one parent is unable to care for the kid due to severe conditions such as domestic violence, substance misuse, or other similar problems.
In most cases, the court will uphold a couple’s agreement on child custody and visiting rights. Unless the court determines that the plan does not benefit the kid, the attorneys for both sides will likely have their parenting plans approved.
When parents and children are unable to reach a mutually agreeable custody and visitation arrangement, the courts will step in and make a determination using the facts offered. While making a decision, a judge will take into account a number of factors, including the parents’ health and welfare, the stability of the home, the living situation, any new romantic partners, other relatives who may have a stake in the child, the child’s wishes (if they can communicate them), and any other relevant matters.