A divorce is undoubtedly more gut wrenching when children are involved. Every parent wants what is best for their child, but sometimes the lines and decisions regarding exactly what that is are more complex. A part of custody battles include determining where a child will live, how often each parent gets to see the children, who pays for what, and appoints the decision maker. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the immense and difficult decisions that accompany a divorce case. But undoubtedly, there are none so important as how your children’s lives will change.
These issues are difficult enough to make as a parent. After a divorce everyone wants their children to have everything they need emotionally and otherwise. Determining what will do that is not simple. With the legal complications involved in custody cases, it’s vital to have a Kansas City divorce lawyer help you sort out the implications of each decision made, and the impact it will have on you and your children after.
State law determines custody specifics, and in Missouri, the court establishes custody rights on a number of levels. At the center of the law is the goal to give children the best possible living situation, taking into account the state of each parent and their ability to care for their children respectively. The most important legal divisions involve physical custody and legal custody. Legal custody rights involve decisions regarding the children’s welfare, health and education. Physical custody decides where a child lives, and how much contact each parent has with their kids. Sole custody describes a situation where one parent makes all the decisions regarding the children, and the children reside with that parent. The other parent may have what’s known as visitation or temporary custody.
Joint custody is the most ideal situation, with equally shared decisions made by both parents working together, as well as meaningful interaction with each parent and the children. Not every couple should have this type of custody situation. The welfare of children is at the center of custody cases. This means that each parent is determined to either be eligible to meet certain needs or not. Although preferred, it is not always possible for divorced parents to make decisions together. There are cases where parents aren’t in a financial or living position to have kids live with them. The specific combination of custody rights is determined based on each parent and their ability to provide for their children.
Do what’s best for your kids and find a great lawyer. It’s vital to have your case properly presented. Once courts have made their decisions regarding custody rights, it is time consuming and expensive to undo those decisions. Talk with a Kansas City divorce lawyer to find out how you can best get your children what they need, both during and after a divorce. Video-navigating-the-difficult-waters-of-child-custody-with-kansas-city-divorce-lawyers.
