Let’s start by covering some reasons why you might need to share custody of a child and common child custody issues.
A divorce proceeding can involve a custody battle of varying degrees. While every parent wants the best situation for their child, for some, scoring a “win” over a soon-to-be-ex can become as important as the matter of physical custody of the children involved. By working with a divorce lawyer, you can make sure that your interests are represented in any hearing, and that you’re putting forth the best case as a suitable caregiver.
Domestic Violence: Protecting the well-being of your child is paramount to any parent. If a parent suspects their ex of any type of child abuse, they can talk with a lawyer to take action immediately to get emergency custody of a child with an emergency custody order from a judge, with an aim towards severely limiting or even eliminating the custody rights of that parent in the future.
Decision Making: Agreements made in principle can be hard to maintain in practice. Divorced parents typically agree to a parenting plan as part of their custody arrangement, but in the event of joint legal custody, important decisions can eventually become points of contention. If you’re having difficulty reaching an agreement with your ex on raising your child, you can talk with a child custody lawyer to see what your legal rights are to revisit or change your existing custody agreement.
Violating Custody Arrangements: Just because you have an existing child custody agreement doesn’t mean that both sides will adhere to it. If your child’s other parent is refusing to abide by the guidelines of the custody order in place, you can work with a lawyer to file a Motion of Contempt with the court for their failure to follow the court order and can pursue revocation or reduction of their custody rights.