There are many factors to consider regarding child custody, and it may be necessary to modify your agreement after your divorce or legal separation in the years to come. We want to help you establish a custody agreement and parenting plan that are protective yet flexible with respect to your goals and your child's interests.
Attorney Lance A. Riddle also helps our clients protect the safety and security of their children in circumstances of distrust between parents. She will help you understand the opportunities and effects of joint custody and sole custody specific to your agreement.
At Lance A. Riddle Law Office, Attorneys at Law, we take the time to understand our clients' needs and goals, and we help them understand the effects of each decision in the broader scheme of their divorce or legal separation. It is important to remember two things through the process:
- In most cases, your relationship with the other parent will continue with respect to your children as you coordinate parenting time, responsibilities and decisions.
- Every decision made in your custody agreement will be examined by the Missouri Family Court from the perspective of interpreting your children's best interests and wishes.
Should You Pursue Joint Custody, Primary Custody Or Sole Custody?
There are two types of custody: physical custody and legal custody.
- Physical custody is the amount of time that each parent is permitted to spend with a child. This part of the agreement determines at which parent's home your child will live. The primary custodian often receives child support, and the noncustodial parent must adhere to an agreed upon temporary custody and visitation schedule (parenting time).
- Legal custody is the level of decision-making rights and responsibilities each parent has regarding a child's education, health and welfare.
Both physical and legal custody may be designated as sole or joint custody. We will want to discuss your goals comprehensively, always knowing that the Family Court's decision will be based on your child's interests and wishes, each parent's role in nurturing the child, each parent's future circumstances, and each parent's personality and behavioral traits.
It is critical to have a full understanding of your options and a strategy going into negotiations. We will help you protect your parental rights and pursue the custody arrangement that aligns with the best interests of you and your child.
Please Contact Us To Speak With A Child Custody Lawyer Today
We are available in Warrensburg at 660-747-6600, and you may also contact us through our online contact form to request a free initial consultation.