Child Custody

The welfare of a child or children during a divorce can be a hard and trying situation. Consultation with an attorney experienced with divorce and family law proceedings can help secure the most appropriate situation for your child in a new post-divorce family. The family lawyers of Munley, Munley & Cartwright, P.C., have been representing clients in divorce cases for years, including those involving child custody and child support in Pennsylvania.

When the courts decide custody of a child, they take into consideration what they believe to be in the child's best interest. This can include who the primary caregiver is, the physical and psychological health of the parties seeking custody, the financial resources available, the child's preference, character and reputation of the parties seeking custody, the residences and opportunities for visitations of other family members, and if the parties have a history of abandonment.

Custody

Custody can be assigned in one of three ways:

• Sole Custody - The party is assigned both legal and physical custody of the child. When sole custody is awarded, the child has only one permanent residence.
• Split Custody - Split custody is when each parent receives physical custody over at least one child involved.
• Joint Custody - Joint custody can be setup in one of three ways. The parents can set up joint legal custody where both parents share the responsibility of the child's upbringing, but the child has only one legal residence. Joint physical custody means the child has two residences and spends at least 35% of their time at the other parent's home. There are also laws allowing the parents to set up a custom agreement that can be any combination of joint legal and physical custody.

Visitation

Visitation is the part of the custodial order that defines the conditions of the non-custodial person(s) to have contact with the child, but not to make major life decisions on the child’s behalf. In Pennsylvania, visitation can be granted to the parent who is not awarded sole custody, the grandparents, and step-parents.

Child Support

When a family suffers from divorce or separation, they lose the financial stability they once had. In order for the parent who is awarded custody of the child to make ends meet, it is sometimes required for the other party involved to pay child support. Child support in Pennsylvania is based on a proportion of each parent's income. Child support payments are intended to be used for shelter, food, clothing, education, and medical expenses for the child only. Once assigned, child support must be maintained until either the child reaches age of majority, gets emancipated, dies, or the courts make a new ruling.

Child support in Pennsylvania is not optional once it is decided in a court of law. Any changes to child support must be handled and approved in the court, even if you and your spouse have agreed verbally on changes.

Child custody is a complex legal issue and it should not be decided or undertaken lightly. The experienced Pennsylvania divorce attorneys at Munley, Munley & Cartwright, P.C., can provide you with qualified representation to ensure that your custodial and visitation rights are protected.

Contact Our Pennsylvania Lawyers Today

At Munley, Munley & Cartwright, P.C., our goal is to provide exceptional legal services to our clients. We strive to achieve the highest standard of excellence for the protection of individual rights through teamwork and the use of our considerable resources and experience.

For a free consultation regarding your legal concerns, contact our custody lawyers online or call us toll free at 877-421-9173.