One of the biggest challenges when two people share one or more children but are no longer in a relationship is the matter of child custody. While some couples may be able to deal with all of the issues related to child custody on their own, there are many others who cannot. If you're facing any type of child custody issues, your best bet is to hire an experienced child custody attorney to represent you. A child custody attorney will be aware of all child custody laws and will work hard on your behalf to ensure that the best interest of your children is kept in mind. Some situations where hiring a child custody attorney is necessary include the following.
You Fear for Your Children's Safety
In many cases, parents share custody of their children and the kids get to spend time with each of their parents. This can work well when both parents are stable and can provide a good home for the children. Unfortunately, there are times where one parent may fear for their children's safety when in the custody of the other parent. This could be due to drug or alcohol use, mental health issues, or fears that one parent is abusing the children. If you have a valid reason to fear that your children are not safe when with their other parent, you should hire a child custody attorney as quickly as possible so the issue can be taken care of right away.
Ex is Not Following Custody Order
Most parents have a written child custody order that is approved by the family court. A custody order mandated by the court is not a suggestion — it is legally binding and must be followed by both parents. If your children's other parent is not following the mandated custody order, it may be necessary to hire an attorney. Some ways that a parent can break the terms of a child custody order is by preventing one parent from having parenting time, not returning the children home at a specific date and time, or preventing your children from having contact with you.
Changes to Your Situation
While a custody order is approved by a family law judge, it does not mean that it can't be revised if circumstances in your life change. For example, if you have to move due to a job relocation or because you are remarrying, the circumstances of your current custody order may not work. The best thing that you can do is hire a child custody attorney to help you when you need a custody order revised.
For more information, reach out to an attorney like Kenneth J. Molnar.
