When a man and woman get married, they typically cannot imagine ever wanting to get divorced. Years pass and the relationship deteriorates, and now the couple is facing the end of their marriage. If they have children, they must decide how to manage custody. A Custody Law Attorney in Lee’s Summit MO represents clients after a divorce is final and one parent wants to petition the court for a change in the original agreement. This type of legal representation is provided by organizations such as Dana Outlaw Law Office.
Building a Case
A father may want to spend more time with the children but may feel discouraged about whether the court will be cooperative. A Custody Law Attorney in Lee’s Summit MO works to build a case to show the judge why this would be better for the youngsters. In today’s world, family court judges commonly are more receptive to shared custody arrangements, wanting both parents to be fully involved in their children’s lives.
The attorney for the father will discuss why making a change would be in the best interests of the children. Judges are not inclined to make significant changes in the living arrangements of youngsters at the whim of one parent or the other. Something may have developed in the mother’s lifestyle that means she cannot be with the children as much as she was before. She may have accepted a promotion at work that requires extra hours, for example. The kids now are spending more time with a babysitter.
Dealing With Opposition
If the mother is adamantly opposing a shift from primary physical custody to shared custody, her lawyer may discuss how she has always devoted more time to parenting than the father did. In many marriages, one parent spends many more hours with the children than the other does. There are various reasons for this, and a mother can use this to her advantage if the father petitions for a modification.
If equally shared physical custody is not feasible, partial custody may be granted. Instead of just having the children stay overnight on Saturday, for instance, they might stay at the house Friday afternoon through Sunday evening. You can also visit them on Facebook.
