Winning Child Custody Strategies

If you're going through a separation or a divorce, you probably have a lot of questions about child custody. Which parent will get primary custody of the children? What arrangements can you make to ensure that both parents see the children as much as they are able? Determining which parent gets the custody of the children and a workable parenting agreement takes flexibility and an in depth analysis of the current situation from both parents.

The most important thing when it comes to the custody of children is what is the best environment and situation for them. The courts will always try to look at what is in the best interest of the child.

There are several factors that the courts will use when determining which parents receives primary custody of the children. Some of these factors include the following:

* Who is currently the main caretaker?

* Assuming both parents are viable options as custodial parents, the wishes of the parents will carry a heavy weight in the court.

* If the child is older than 14 years of age, he or she will probably be able to voice their choice for which parent that they wish to live with, again assuming that the parent is a viable custodian.

* The child's existing environment, including school and community groups.

* The mental and physical health of all parties involved.

* The interaction with the child's parents and other siblings, when applicable.

While it used to be common for the mom to gain primary custody, that is changing rapidly. Fathers have begun to fight for primary custody more and more - and many are winning. While many are truly looking out for the best interest of the child, and feel they would be the better guardian, many abusive or vindictive men have used this as a means to further abuse and control their ex-wives.

Where women are retaining physical custody, it's usually through a joint custody arrangement with their ex-husband. This allows both adults the ability to spend time with the children and make important decisions in regards to each child's life.

While joint custody is the best situation for most divorces, when dealing with an irrational, vindictive or abusive ex, there are special considerations that need to be made here as well.

Whether fighting for primary custody or working out a parenting agreement with joint custody, it's imperative that you research the laws and take the offense in your child custody case. If you don't, you'll be playing defense for a long time.

Stop playing defense! Go to Winning Child Custody Strategies today.

Article Source: Ezine Articles

Family law is not something you should tackle alone. The most important thing in your child custody case is to find a good attorney. Most people will start looking with a quick internet search; Googling something like "Florida child custody lawyer" or "Florida family law attorney".

There is nothing wrong with starting out your search this way. The problem is many people end it there as well.

They find an advertisement for a Florida child custody lawyer, check out their site, and then hire them at the first meeting.

It's a risky way to approach such an important decision.

Finding the RIGHT attorney is vital in this process.

They really can make the difference between winning and losing.

So how do you find the best child custody lawyer in Florida, or whatever state you reside in?

Here are a few good places to start:

1. See if you have any attorneys in your area who are members of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. These attorneys are experts in family law and tend to be some of the best and most dedicated out there.

2. If you have issues with a vindictive or abusive ex, you can check out local domestic violence meetings for support and advice. Many of these women have had extensive dealings with family law and the courts. They can be a wealth of information about attorneys and judges in your county.

Once you've picked a few family law attorneys who you think might be good, do a little research on them. Check the state bar association website to see if there are any infractions against them.

Google their name and see what comes up. (Sidenote: You should also do the same for your judge, if you already have one assigned.)

If you still think they might be a winner, interview them and ask probing questions about family law and your specific case. One thing you should ask them is how busy they are with their current caseload and what is the expected time to return calls and messages. Most lawyers are notoriously bad at this and you need to know, if something comes up, how much support you'll have available, and how quickly.

When looking for a qualified child custody lawyer in Florida, or whatever state you reside, remember, a little extra research will put you miles ahead of the game.

Please click here to get the 9 critical strategies for winning child custody when dealing with irrational, vindictive or abusive ex's.

Article Source: Ezine Articles

Child Support is governed by whatever state you live in. For example, let's say that you live in Texas.

Texas Child Support is governed by the state of Texas. The state has very specific laws regarding child support payments and set guidelines for how it's figured.

Before you pay an attorney to tell you all about the child support laws in Texas, or whatever state you reside, check out the information for yourself. You can obtain all the laws free from the official state website.

Now, as with all aspects of family law, you and your ex have the ability to come to whatever kind of child support agreement you want to outside of court. As long as you both agree, you can get whatever kind of payment you want, provided the courts believe it's in the best interest of the child.

But, if you don't agree - and you go to court - the judge will base your child support strictly on the laws of the state.

Typically, the payments are based on:

How much income your spouse makes
How many children you have
The amount of time your ex spends with your child

Don't waste a lot of money going back and forth between your attorneys about the payment. Attorneys will try and keep you and your spouse arguing over this (and other issues) when there really is no need.

Read the laws on Texas child support, or whatever state you reside, and go over any questions you have with your attorney. This way when you start negotiating and your spouse (or attorneys) want to prolong the fight, you'll know when to stop.

After all, why fight over something and waste money on an issue that is strictly mandated by the state. If your spouse is not responsive to what you propose and comes back with extremely low numbers of his own, it makes better sense to just end negotiations and tell him you'll see him in court.

Article Source: Ezine Articles Expert Author Joan Baker

Child custody can be one of the hardest aspects of a divorce. Depending on the child's personality and age, the idea of seeing their parents in two different locations and in two separate situations can be troubling for a child who is used to having everyone under one roof. Just because it can be tricky and oftentimes emotionally difficult, child custody and divorce can be the healthier alternative to growing up in a family where the parents constantly fight and make one another unhappy.

Working your child custody with an ex can take time before you work out the right environment for your children and each parent's individual schedules. Typically, the lifestyles of each parent will change after the divorce and your schedule for child custody with the ex will initially be figuring out how to best accommodate the new factors in each parent's life.

What are some common ways you can ensure an easy child custody with the ex arrangement for both your children and the adults involved? There are a variety of schedules and plans that have worked out for newly-separated parents in the past. Some of these plans include:

Alternating weekend visits, including long, three-day weekends

Mid-week visit times for the non-custodial parent

Shared holidays and school holidays, such as spring or winter breaks

Open telephone communication with the parent that does not have physical contact with the child on that day

When confronting child custody with the ex issues, it's best to remember that child custody is for the best interest of the children involved. It can be easy to get personal feelings and past complaints mixed in with the time the children have to spend with their parents. Separate your personal feelings and save it for another time. Communicate positive things about the other parent in the presence of the children in order to have the best environment for child custody both now and in future years. If everyone is flexible with schedules and attempts to stay as positive as possible, the children will come out happier in the end.

One caveat to the above: If you're dealing with child custody issues with an irrational, vindictive or abusive ex, the absolute best thing to do is be specific as possible in the parenting agreement. Spell everything out to avoid confrontations and manipulative ploys later on.

To get the 9 critical strategies for winning child custody go to Winning Child Custody Strategies.

Joan Baker is an expert in child custody after going through her own custody ordeal, researching the laws and now helping other women going through the process.

Article Source: Ezine Articles

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