Child custody attorneys and family attorneys are family law legal experts who specialize in handling cases involving child custody or child visitation cases. At the foundation of any child custody matter is the well-being of the child.
These types of legal cases will vary by state but there are three key components to child custody: physical, legal, or joint.
i. Physical Custody
A physical custody case is when parents are divorced but where one parent has sole custody of a child who lives with them. If one parent has sole physical custody, the other parent may be awarded visitation with the child.
ii. Legal Custody
Having legal custody of your child after a divorce means that you are responsible for making all the decisions about their lives centered around their education, their health, education, religion, their extracurricular activities, and much more. There is also a joint legal custody classification that means both parents continue to make decisions together for the sake of their child(ren).iii. Joint Custody
Courts try to keep both parents an important part of a child’s life. Therefore, many states believe that what is best for the child(ren) is to award joint custody to both parents. The change that can occur in a joint custody hearing is when one parent proves that the other parent is unfit.Family law is a complicated legal area because of the many personal and emotional details that come into consideration. For this reason, only child custody attorneys or family attorneys should represent your case.
Family attorneys are very knowledgeable and experienced in family law to help protect your best interests. Child custody attorneys help guide you through the intricate proceedings and they keep you informed about what to know and when to know any issues regarding yourself, your ex., and your child(ren) legal concerns.
When there is a dissolution of a marriage involving children there is no guarantee that the outcome will be ideal for you but having a family lawyer on your side will give you the best information on what to know involving a better chance of winning your case.
Don’t let money be the reason that your child custody case could go awry. Many child custody attorneys and family attorneys want nothing more than to see that children have the support of their parents even though there is a divorce. For that reason, depending on your financial situation, they will handle your child custody case “pro bono.” Pro bono stands for affordability.
An affordability term is fees charged by family attorneys that give you the option of taking your case free of charge or charging you a very minimal legal fee. Also, child custody attorneys will set-up a payment plan that takes into account, your financial situation.
Even though the goal of family attorneys is to settle a divorce aside from a court hearing, oftentimes it is necessary to go through a child custody case. Only child custody attorneys or family attorneys can best represent you as the litigant. Make sure that you choose an attorney who has extensive experience in this field and who understands the laws where you live.