Child Custody and Visitation Attorneys Mentor OH
Experienced Lawyers Focused on Advocating for Children’s Best Interests
Ohio family courts are bound to resolve all child custody, parenting time (visitation), and parenting plan disputes in “the best interests of the child.” While parents can work with their lawyers to construct mutually agreeable custody and parenting plan arrangements via collaborative approaches, some parents need to fight for their child’s best interests in court. Either approach requires strong legal support, as the stakes of child custody and broader parenting cases are both high and deeply personal in nature.
Custody Considerations
Not so very long ago, it was standard practice that one parent would be awarded custody of their children and the other parent would be awarded visitation. Nowadays, shared parenting arrangements are standard in the vast majority of cases.
There are two major kinds of custody that must be addressed when the court either hands down a decision in a contentious case or approves a mutually agreed upon arrangement in a collaborative case: legal and physical custody. Legal custody concerns the parental right to make major decisions about a child’s upbringing, including whether they receive certain kinds of medical care and whether they will be raised within a specific religious tradition. Physical custody primarily concerns day-to-day decision-making on a child’s behalf.
Most of the time, parents either agree to share physical and legal custody of their children or are awarded these joint rights by the court. However, parents can also agree to an alternative arrangement or a parent can request that the court grant an alternative order if they cannot settle their differences with their child’s other parent in a collaborative way.
Parenting Plans
Regardless of how custody is resolved, if both of a child’s parents are going to maintain active relationships with that child, the court will likely insist upon the creation of a parenting plan. A parenting plan will outline how parenting time is to be divided between co-parents and may address a host of other issues, from how often – and by what means – parents will communicate about their child’s well-being to how the child will be transported between households.
Like child custody and child support orders, parenting plans are legally-enforceable documents. As a result, whether your case is going to progress collaboratively or contentiously, you will benefit from informed legal guidance as you work to craft a workable parenting plan that reflects your child’s best interests.
Schedule a Free Consultation with one of our Knowledgeable Lake County, Ohio Child Custody Lawyers Today
Navigating a child custody and parenting time case is one of the most emotionally challenging tasks that an adult can face. As there is likely nothing more precious to you than your children, you’re going to need sound legal guidance and support, regardless of whether your case is likely to be resolved amicably or may become contentious.
To begin exploring your options and protecting your parental interests, call (440) 944-7300 or submit a contact form on our firm’s website to schedule a free, confidential case evaluation with one of our reputable Mentor, OH child custody lawyer today. The dedicated team at Axelrod Law Office has extensive experience managing both straightforward and complex custody, visitation, and parenting time matters and it would be our pleasure to speak with you about your current legal needs.