Finding Family Lawyers
Family lawyers are trained and licensed to help Charlotte residents in a number of ways. Some of the services of family lawyers in Charlotte include:
- Prenuptial agreements
- Divorces
- Alimony and division of marital property following a divorce
- Domestic violence cases
- Child custody
When most people think of family lawyers, they think of lawyers who handle child custody cases, and it’s true that this is a large part of what Emblem Legal’s family lawyers do. With this in mind, there are a few things you should know before calling us for assistance with a child custody case or hearing.
North Carolina Child Custody Laws
First, you should understand that North Carolina determines child custody based on what is in the best interests of the child. Mothers are not given preference for full custody by default. If the court determines it would be in the best interests of the child to live with the father, perhaps because of a more stable living condition or any number of other factors, the father will gain custody. This makes child custody laws in North Carolina fair, since both parents have a chance at custody, regardless of their gender.
Different Types of Custody
There are different types of custody agreements, as well as different types of child custody. Physical custody determines who a child lives with at any given time, while legal custody refers to the decision-making authority to care for the child. One parent may have sole legal custody while the other parent has physical custody, or visitation rights, at certain times. Visitation rights are sometimes called “secondary custody.”
In some cases, a joint custody arrangement might be achieved. This may involve physical custody, legal custody, or both, where both parents share equally in important decisions related to the child’s health and well-being, and the child splits time between both parents’ homes on a pre-arranged schedule.
When speaking to child custody lawyers, it’s important to outline your goals in a child custody case. Do you want full legal custody? Joint custody? Full legal custody with visitation for the other parent? It’s important to understand what these terms mean, what sort of custody agreement you would prefer, and what you can reasonably expect from an arrangement based on your current situation.
How to Draw up a Parenting Plan
To make your child custody case go smoother, family lawyers recommend working with your former (or soon-to-be former) spouse to draw up a parenting plan. Especially in the case of joint legal custody, a parenting plan ensures you and the child’s other parent are on the same page when it comes to matters of schooling, health, extracurricular activities, rules and discipline, travel and vacations, and other important matters related to parenting your child.
The plan can be as detailed as necessary, outlining specific parenting guidelines, how and when the child may communicate with the other parent, and how parents will drop off or pick up the child when it’s time to exchange physical custody.
The agreement should also include information about legal and physical custody or visitation rights, including who will have the child during school vacations and days off.
The family lawyers at Emblem Legal in Charlotte can help you draw up a detailed, reasonable, and useful parenting plan and will be by your side if the plan goes to mediation in front of the courts.
Why You Need Family Lawyers to Help with Your Custody Agreement
As you can see, reaching a custody agreement with an ex-husband or ex-wife is not always easy. Our family lawyers will help ensure a fair and practical agreement is reached and that the process remains as stress-free as possible for you and your children.
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