Disagreements on children's custody and support can complicate your divorce process, making it more expensive and long. Having a lawyer walk with you through this tough journey is invaluable. They will act as mediators to help you and your partner agree on finances, living arrangements, care agreements, and other contentious issues. It might be the ideal option because you don't have to go through the lengthy, expensive court process. Take a look at how your lawyer will navigate your child custody and support issues without heading to court.
Prepare a Parenting Plan
After agreeing on the most important issues, your child custody lawyer might advise you to prepare a parenting plan. This agreement specifies the roles and responsibilities of each parent in the children's care when they go separate ways.
In this arrangement, you don't have to seek the court's guidance on how to execute the plan. However, the parents need to pledge things they can provide for their kids to prevent disagreements in the future. But remember, this agreement is not legally binding. That means you won't have ground to sue your partner for failing to honor their pledge.
Understanding and Formalizing the Agreement
If your legal advisor feels that your ex-spouse might not be trustworthy, they may suggest that you formalize your agreement. First, however, they'll take you through the agreement's contents so you can understand it better. Besides that, they will explain your state's divorce and child custody laws and how they apply to your case.
And before signing the agreement, your lawyer will make sure that you understand your rights and responsibilities. You'll be less susceptible to errors that might portray you as a bad parent by fully understanding the agreement.
After familiarizing you with the document, the next step is for the lawyer to ensure that you and your partner agree on all the issues in the agreement. They will then help you get approval in court to make it legal. Once the court approves the document, it will issue orders you should comply with. Failure to do so can lead to prosecution. As a result, you may lose the right to take care of the kids or get restraining orders if you're a threat to your ex-spouse or kids.
You don't have to file a case in court to agree on issues affecting your kids. Instead, consult a child custody lawyer from a firm like North Metro Litigators for assistance. They will help you and your partner reach an amicable solution, saving you time and resources in a court case.
Share29 March 2022
The laws governing child custody and guardianship can be confusing. As a family attorney, I have helped many clients gain legal guardianship over a foster child or a relative's child. Getting legal guardianship of a child you are caring for is important because you need to be able to make decisions about that child's education, health care and other matters. This blog will help you navigate the world of legal guardianship and show you how to take steps to get guardianship over a child whether the child's parents are cooperative or not. Legal guardianship does matter even if a child is not going to be adopted. I hope to help people find the way to get this done.
