Columbus Georgia Family Law Attorney
Court’s Stand on Child Custody Plans
It is a common observation that custody arrangements usually drift into single parent taking up the responsibility as the years pass by. Sometimes parents follow informal changes to visitation routines but custody orders work as originally written. Even though all court orders passed for the welfare of children in family court can be challenged and changed, lot of time and effort is needed to bring this change into fruition
The main reason is that most court orders stay effective for a long period of time and moreover any kind of modification request has to be supported by valid reason and evidence. Legal help from a competent and experienced Columbus family law attorney would be absolutely necessary in order to untangle the legal nuances associated with the modification process.
In divorces where children are involved all issues pertaining to child custody and visitation are resolved in best interests of child. Thus the court prefers to keep life of concerned child as unchanged as before the divorce of parents. Thus if children were living with one spouse during period of separation, it would become more difficult to change this plan and ask for custody in court
Such a request has to be made with evidence to prove that this indeed would be better for the children. Since arrangement during separation seems to have been working for the children, court would find no reason to change it and this temporary arrangement would soon turn into the court decreed permanent solution.
Hence, with advice from a Columbus family law attorney it is better to create the situation of your choice at the very beginning. If you do the necessary for your children during temporary separation, it is more likely that this could turn into your permanent situation. It is a well known understatement that in family law court, temporary custody arrangements gradually turn into permanent orders.
Your child’s best interests are always the prime concern when custody determination is going on in court. It would work in your favor if you allow your children to spend time with your spouse as much as possible since you would in effect be setting a record of sharing children and this proven pattern of conduct would surely make the court comfortable in granting custody in your favor.
If you feel that your spouse can be a bad influence on your children, discuss this with your lawyer and gather evidence in support so that it can be presented in court. The court is responsible for protecting the rights of the children even where your marriage fails. Court rarely interferes with custody arrangements which have been mutually agreed upon by parents and found to be beneficial to child. Child and his welfare reigns supreme.
