When Child Custody Becomes Part Of A Divorce

The overlap between the jobs of a divorce attorney and a child custody attorney are fairly numerous. Even in situations where both former partners are trying to handle issues in a friendly manner, challenges can emerge. Here are some of the questions you may want to consider as you move forward with a divorce and there's a kid in the picture.

Both Parents Need Counsel

A lawyer cannot represent two sides in a matter, regardless of whether both ex-partners are amenable to such an arrangement. If you are both focused on making the process as painless as possible, you should inform your separate attorneys of this and give them an outline of the sort of final agreement you're looking for. They can then work together to iron out specifics, such as raising questions about custodial parenthood, where the child will live and how various responsibilities will be divided up.

In fact, depending on the circumstances, the court may even assign counsel to your child. This typically occurs when a minor is considered old enough under a state's laws to have a say in the process. It also can occur when there are questions about how well the parents are keeping the kid's interests and rights in mind, regardless of the child's age.

Raising a Kid Entails More than You Think

Even the most experienced parents can attest that many child-raising challenges are hard to anticipate in advance. Adding divorce to the equation more than doubles those challenges.

For example, deciding to move out of state because it's required by your job can precipitate a conflict. Either parent has the right to raise legal concerns about what happens in this scenario, and this can even lead to the parent who wants to move being blocked from doing so. This is especially a concern when there's a joint custody agreement in place.

Paying for a child's education factors into the equation, too. Yes, this goes into their college years, as children do have the legal right to seek parental financial support, as occurred in this case from New Jersey. If at least one of the parents has the financial means to support a child's ongoing education, the courts generally expect that to happen.

At the core of it all, the family courts are always focused on a child's best interest. Stay focused on providing your kid with the best post-divorce environment possible by calling a law office like Hart Law Offices, PC today.


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