Child Custody Arrangements Centered On The Best Interests Of Your Child
Divorcing parents must keep the best interests of their child at the heart of all the changes occurring in their family dynamics. As parents, you may decide on how you will raise your child, who will make important decisions about medical care, where to attend church, religious training and where your child will live. However, for many parents, making decisions about legal and physical custody and parenting time or a visitation schedule is not easy.
When you have questions about establishing child custody, or if your divorce is stalling because your child custody matters are still in dispute, call me, Les Greenwald, at 248-800-1976. As an attorney, my primary focus is helping families make the most of their new chapter after divorce.
If You Cannot Agree To Child Custody Arrangements, The Court Intervenes
Sometimes divorce proceedings come to a halt because parents cannot agree to child custody matters. This is often to the detriment of the children’s relationships with each parent. When the family court gets involved in creating a child custody order, the judge first determines whether your child has an established custodial environment (ECE). Is your child doing well where they are living, going to school and how their living arrangements have been since you as parents separated? Ideally, the child will spend as much time as possible with each parent in a joint custody arrangement. However, at minimum, a judge will order “reasonable” parenting time, depending on how old your child is and what their needs are.
The family court judge balances the best interest of your child based on such factors as:
- Each parent’s emotional ties with the child
- Financial, physical and mental capacity of the parents to provide the full spectrum of care for the child
- Length of time the child has lived in one home and the prospect of continuing to live there
- Other factors as appropriate to the individual family involved
Other considerations such as domestic violence or child neglect will affect a child custody order and parenting time schedule. If one parent cannot be trusted to take care of the child or has threatened harm, the court will consider parenting time supervised by a trusted relative, friend or social agency representative.
Reach Out To Get The Help You Need With Your Child Custody Order
Your children deserve the best possible conditions after your divorce. I can help you create an arrangement that fosters their best interest to maintain their well-being. If you have recently moved or need to update your child custody order, I can also help you with that process. At Leslie Neil Greenwald Law, my only focus is divorce-related matters. Email me or call my office in Bloomfield Hills at 248-800-1976 to schedule your initial consultation to learn more about how I can help you and your family.