Decisions regarding child custody remain some of the greatest parents will ever need to face. Ultimately, the decisions you make now will affect your children s future tomorrow. With a knowledgeable and supportive legal team to guide you though the proceedings, making the right decision can make the entire process much easier to bear. Once you have made a decision regarding the custodial arrangement of your children, it is important to consult with a St. Louis family law attorney who can explain the legal process to you.
One of the main concerns regarding deciding where you stand with regards to your custody arrangement is the jurisdiction in which the courts shall rule. Generally speaking, the jurisdiction that a judge refers to in a child custody case is the area in which you were raised. However, the more specific the location in which your jurisdiction is located, the more likely that the courts will consider your situation and your potential ability to function as a custodial parent in that area. For example, if you lived in Florida while you were a minor, and are seeking a Missouri child custody agreement, then it would be very difficult for you to establish a parental record in Missouri, given that it would be difficult to establish residency without leaving home.
If you currently live in Missouri, but are considering moving to another state in which you do not live, or having a change of heart regarding the placement of your children, then it may make sense to seek out the counsel of an attorney who has experience working with co-parenting parents. In addition to your competence and knowledge about the laws of your new state, an experienced attorney can help you to understand the dynamics of entering into a co-parenting arrangement. As you likely already know, there are many practical considerations such as relocation, the availability of schools for the children, and whether or not there are other parents with comparable parenting arrangements in the area. You can hire an attorney who has a good knowledge of local court law, and can assist you with obtaining any necessary paperwork and forms.
The second step to developing a parenting plan after a divorce is to prepare a custody and visitation schedule. Once again, you must obtain the appropriate court orders, and it is important to remember that these orders are binding. A Missouri court must approve the schedule you develop, and you must submit it to the court before a hearing. There are some common issues that you must address with this step, including both physical custody and visitation time. You must provide the court with the names of both parents, as well as copies of any written agreements (like custody and visitation schedule) that you have already established.
If either parent has a previous marriage, and/or has a history of domestic violence, then the court may require that he or she undergo counseling with an independent counselor, prior to a custody hearing. If the divorce was amicable, or a finding of abuse or neglect was made against one parent, then the court may order a psychiatrist to evaluate each parent for domestic violence or child abuse. This evaluation will be used to help decide which parent would be awarded the custodial right to spend time with the children. Also, if domestic violence has been an issue in the past, then the court may want to make the decision based on the mental health of each parent. Finally, if domestic violence has been a problem in the past, and the custody situation has been disputed, then the court may order a stranger to be placed in the home with the children. To help you with your child custody issue, you may visit www.stlouisdivorcelawyers.net/child-custody/.
These steps are just a few of the many that occur in child custody cases across the country. Many times, parents can work out an arrangement without having to go to court, and if the dispute can be solved without the help of an attorney, then this is certainly preferable to having to go to court. Parents looking for an easy way to get divorced should consider using the internet to help with their legal issues. The internet makes filing simple and can give you the information you need in order to complete your divorce. There are many online resources that will help you find information on how to file for child custody, as well as the law and other pertinent information.