​What About the Children?

No matter what order you are pursuing, the thing that matters most is the best interest of the child. This does not mean parents do not have rights. Having access to both parents is typically in the best interest of the child; however, for many reasons parents do not get access to their children. Blocking a parent from having access to their child can be harmful to both the parent, and more importantly, the child. Moreover, the child can grow to resent the parent preventing their relationship with the other parent. On the other hand, sometimes parents just shouldn't have access to their children. In any event, we are here to advocate for your custody and visitation rights.

​* Nothing on this page is legal advice, neither does it create an attorney-client relationship of any sort. The material contained here is for informational purposes only. Contact us for real legal advice and an opportunity to form a relationship with great attorneys.

​What is Physical Custody?

Physical custody means that the child lives with you and is under your supervision.  If it is joint physical custody, the child resides with both parents and both parents exercise supervision when the child is in their custody.  However, if it is sole physical custody, that means the child resides with one parent and probably visits with the other parent.  Physical custody includes when the child is in the care of others.  For example, if the child is in school, the parent responsible for picking them up in the event of an emergency is likely the parent with physical custody during that time.

​What is Legal Custody?

Legal custody means having the rights and responsibility to make decisions relating to the health, safety, and welfare of the child.  Joint legal custody means that the parents share in the decisions.  Sole legal custody means that only one parent has this right.  The court typically orders joint legal custody, unless it is not in the best interests of the child.  For example, a parent who is unreasonably restricting the other parent's ability to make decisions in the best interest of the child may lose their legal custody.

​What is Visitation?

Visitation is what a parent receives when they have a right to see their child that is much less than the other parent's.  Parents have a right to reasonable visitation, unless reasonable visitation would not be in the best interest of the child.  Parents who have committed domestic violence against their children will likely lose custody and visitation as the court will likely find it is not in the child's best interest.

Getting to See Your Child

Everything seems to work well with the kids until their is a significant change in the parents' lives.  Either a party will decide to leave, begin dating or marry someone else, or simply change their priorities, but once the relationship of the parents changes, things regarding their child often change.  One parent may not be used to being without their child or just seek to interfere with the other parent's visitation, either way, something needs to be done.  If you are the father and you are not married to your child's mother, you may need to establish paternity.  We are experienced in getting parents custody and visitation where this opportunity had previously been prevented.  Contact us to establish or modify your custody and visitation.

​Stopping the other Party from Controlling your Relationship with your Child

Sometimes parents forget that it took two to make their child and it will take many more to raise them.  If you are being denied access to your child, do not wait around for things to changes.  Odds are, they never will.  And the other parent not allowing you will only work as an excuse for so long.  You need to establish a custody order that gets you custody and visitation rights that can be enforced.  Court is never the best option, but if it is the only option, you need to pursue it immediately and aggressively.  Otherwise, you are setting a pattern that could last until your child is an adult.