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CUSTODY ATTORNEY IN WILKES-BARRE, PA
Recommended first step is consulting with an experienced child custody attorney
Determining your rights and responsibilities when petitioning for child custody can be challenging. While there are some aspects that seem intuitive, there are some unique aspects to the Pennsylvania law of custody that must be considered. As such, the recommended first step is consulting an attorney experienced in all aspects of custody, to assist in what can be a complicated process.
With the complicated nature of custody cases, having a knowledgeable advocate by your side can make all the difference.
Contact Matthew Kelly Associates for a free consultation to help make sense of your options to make the best decisions for your family.
Custody in PA
Determining arrangements
When parents are considering their options, it is most beneficial for all parties if the parents can come to an agreement without pursuing a court order. While it may seem that a court order is necessary for custody to be determined, if both parents or guardians can come to an agreement regarding custody arrangements, no hearing is necessary.
Considering this, it is still important to know of all options available to you so that you can make the best decision for your family. Sometimes just doing a search for “how to get custody of my child in pa" is not enough. Talk to Matthew Kelly, coming to an agreement with all parties seeking custody will yield the best results for both parents and of course, the kiddos.
Types of Arrangements
It is also important to consider the distinct types of custody when deciding on the type of arrangement or petitions you will file. Physical custody decisions determine with whom the kid will live with, while legal custody entails who makes educational, medical, and other decisions for the kid. Both physical and legal custody can be full, meaning one parent is solely responsible, or joint, where both parents may have varying roles taking care of the kid/s.
Determinations of physical and legal custody may or may not be linked and one parent may have full physical custody while both parents may still retain joint legal custody of the child. Matthew Kelly Associates is well versed in Pennsylvania custody law that can help with these determinations, especially in a particularly contentious situation.
Custody and financial considerations
While finances are a consideration in some aspects of custody, it is a relatively small factor. The parent or guardian who has more assets is not automatically considered more fit for custody by virtue of financial solvency alone. Considering this, custody determinations are arrived at separately from child support.
While finances and assets are considered in the amount of child support that must be paid, either parent can file for support regardless of financial status if they have full custody.
Given that custody and support are not linked, visitation with the kid/s cannot be withheld due to child support issues and vice versa. Given the complexities of filing for child support and the financial considerations of a custody petition, it is best to get invaluable info from an experienced PA family law lawyer.