Rockville Child Custody Lawyer
You will likely face many difficult decisions regarding your children’s well-being during their lifetime. The decision about who your child or children will live with on a regular basis after your divorce may be the most important. If you are facing a custody battle with your ex, you may be wondering how to best protect your relationship with your child(ren).
Whether you need help negotiating a custody agreement with your child’s other parent, or your custody case has already progressed to court, it is imperative to seek the assistance of a skilled family law attorney. A Rockville child custody lawyer can help protect your legal rights and ensure that your family’s best interests are appropriately considered by the court.
Types of Custody Available in Rockville
The term ‘custody’ typically refers where the child or children will live and who will be in. charge of major life decisions for the child. In Maryland, there many different child-sharing arrangements available to parents.
Physical Custody
Where a child lives on a day-to-day basis is known as physical custody. One parent may maintain primary physical care of their child, which means the child will live with that parent most of the time. In such an arrangement, the other parent may have accesss with the child at scheduled times. Most visitation arrangements include overnight visits. More often though, parties share joint physical custody because local courts typically assume that having as much time as possible with both parents is in a child’s best interests.
Each of these physical custody arrangements carries different rights and responsibilities for both parents. For example, the specific parenting time schedule may impact the amount of child support payable to either parent. A local attorney can explain the various rights and responsibilities of joint or sole physical child custody.
Legal Custody
A parent’s right to make decisions regarding important matters which affect their child’s wellbeing (i.e. medical, educational, and religious choices) is known as legal custody. When a parent is awarded sole legal custody, they maintain the right to make all decisions with regard to such matters. If parents have joint legal custody, they must consult each other and agree on the significant and major decisions affecting their child before taking action on them.
For example, if parents have joint legal custody and one parent wants their child to attend a private school, they must both agree before the child can attend. If one parent maintains sole legal custody, they have get to decide whether the child will attend, even if the other parent objects.
Therefore, it is essential to understand the distinctions between the various forms of custody available in our area. A lawyer in Rockville can explain the key differences and answer any questions you may have about the pros and cons of these child-sharing arrangements.
Factors Impacting Custody Determinations
The most important and overarching principle in any custody dispute in our area is the best interest of the child. Certain factors influence the assessment of a child’s best interest, including but not limited to:
- The abilities of both parents to care for the child
- The character and reputation of both parents
- The child’s preference, only if the child has considered judgment
- Material opportunities affecting the child’s future
- The child’s age, sex, and overall health
- The locations of both parents’ homes and the opportunity for visitation
- The relationship between the child and either parent
- Both parents’ abilities to communicate effectively about the child
A careful analysis of these factors is essential when considering what custodial arrangement will best support your child. An experienced attorney can objectively assess each relevant factor and provide critical advice and representation in your child custody case.
Let a Rockville Child Custody Attorney Help
A child custody dispute will likely have a lifelong impact on both you and the child(ren)involved. It is critical to have a well-versed attorney to guide you through the complex legal process. Get in touch with our firm today to discuss how a Rockville child custody lawyer can help protect your parenting rights and your child’s best interests.
