New York City Child Custody and Visitation Attorney
“The process of determining who gets custody of a child during the divorce process can be very complex.”
The process of determining who gets custody of a child during the divorce process can be very complex. There are many factors that go into this process and you need to ensure you have a New York City child support and visitation attorney by your side.
At the Law Office of Rachel Ambats, PLLC, we understand the family laws of New York and are ready to get to work. Ms. Ambats has the experience you need on your side to ensure you are treated fairly throughout this process.
Explaining Child Custody
Child custody can be difficult to understand and is more in-depth than determining where a child will live. Certainly, that is part of the process. When you hear people talking about the living arrangements of a child after divorce or separation, they are discussing physical custody of the child. When it comes to physical custody, both parents can share custody (joint custody) or one parent has custody (sole custody).
The Family Court system in New York would prefer that both parents stay in their child’s life if at all possible. However, there are some factors that can prevent that from happening, such as:
The proximity of both parents’ residences to one another
Allegations of physical abuse
Drug or alcohol addictions
Other criminal issues
When one parent has sole custody, it is likely that visitation rights will need to be established for the non-custodial parent.
Another important aspect of this process is legal custody. Legal custody determines who is allowed to make legal decisions about the child. This can include things like medical decisions, the child’s religious upbringing, educational decisions, etc.
There can be joint or sole custody for legal custody as well.
It can become complicated.
There are various ways that custody arrangements can be determined. For example:
Both parents could have joint physical and legal custody
One parent could have physical custody while both share legal custody
Both parents could have physical custody while only one has legal custody
One parent could have sole physical and legal custody
Child custody arrangements will also factor into final child support payment agreements.
Occasionally, it may be necessary to make changes to child custody agreements. Life after separation will undoubtedly change for both spouses. They may move or their jobs may change. Legal problems could arise. All of this can affect custody needs.
The only way to legally modify custody arrangements is to petition the Family Court. Never make changes on your own.
Let Us Get To Work On Your Behalf
Whether you are just beginning the separation process or need a modification to a settlement, we know that child custody issues are complex and emotional. At the Law Office of Rachel Ambats, PLLC, our knowledgeable and experienced team is ready to get to work on your behalf.
The decisions made during these proceedings will affect lives for years to come, so please make sure you have a skilled New York City child custody and visitation attorney helping you through this. You can contact Ms. Ambats for a free consultation.