Child Custody Lawyer in Missouri

Child Custody Lawyer In Missouri - Kansas City

For many families, the most important issue in a divorce is child custody.  Having an experienced family law child custody lawyer in Missouri who makes the children a priority when handling the case is so important.

Legal Custody

In a vast majority of cases, the law favors joint legal custody.  Legal custody has nothing to do with the schedule of when the children reside with each parent.  Legal custody is the ability to make major decisions that affect your children’s health, education and welfare.  Parents who have joint legal custody make all major decisions together and neither parent has the power to make major decisions for the children without the other parent.

Physical Custody

In a divorce or paternity case, the parents must decide, or have the court decide, the issue of physical custody.  The options are joint physical custody and sole physical custody.  The law has specific requirements for a parent to have sole physical custody. Kim Hatch, an experienced family law child custody lawyer in Missouri, is available to speak with you about whether or not sole physical custody is in your children’s best interest.

Joint physical custody can involve many, many different types of schedules, based on many factors, in order to address your children’s best interests.  The law favors a schedule that offers the children frequent and meaningful time with both parents.

In some families, it is in the children’s best interest to spend equal amounts of time with each parent.  This is regularly referred to as a shared or equal parenting schedule.

Parenting Plans

Ultimately, a parenting plan will be ordered by the court.  The parenting plan can be agreed to by the parents through negotiation or mediation or, if the parents are not able to agree, the court will decide the parenting plan after hearing evidence from both parties to determine what is in the children’s best interest.  The parenting plan will include details for both legal and physical custody.

Modification of Parenting Plan

The law recognizes that, over time, circumstances can change and those changes make it necessary to modify or change the parenting plan.  The modification of a parenting plan can occur through negotiation or mediation.  If the parents cannot agree, it may be necessary for a parent to file a motion with the court to modify the parenting plan.  In the end, if the parents cannot agree, the court will determine if there is a change in circumstance which requires a modification of the parenting plan and what modification or changes to the parenting plan should be ordered by the court.

 

The Levy Craig family law team makes client satisfaction, good communication and strong, effective advocacy a top priority. To schedule a child custody lawyer in missouri consultation, please call Janet Woolsey at 816.454.7474.