Letting Attorneys Help You

How a Family Law Attorney Can Help With Child Custody

19 February 2021

Dolores Rice

When parents are divorcing, one of the contentious issues involves child custody. The courts will often favor the mother over the father for child custody. However, under certain circumstances, the father may be the right person to get custody of the child. Here are situations when you need a family law attorney to help you win a sole custody case.

You're the Better Custodial Parent

When the court rules on child custody, they usually look out for the child's best interests. One way to show that you're the better custodial parent is to prove that your child is in danger. For example, if your ex-spouse is a drug addict or an abusive parent, you can claim that they're unfit to raise your child. 

Therefore, by keeping track of your ex-spouse's behavior, you can be able to gather evidence to help you win sole custody. It doesn't have to be extreme behavior like drug addiction or child abuse; simple things like badmouthing you in the child's presence or not having enough time to help the child with homework may be enough.

Breakdown of Parent Communication

If the parent's relationship is strained to the point that they cannot communicate, the court may give sole custody to one parent. Before denying shared custody, the court will encourage the couple to settle their differences. The parents may be required to go through counseling.

However, if there's still a communication barrier, sole custody may be the most viable option. Your family law attorney can help prove that you're the most reasonable parent. For example, if your ex-spouse refuses to cooperate on minor issues such as visitation hours.

Lack of Contact

Another reason the court may grant sole custody to one parent is if the other parent has not been involved with the child. If one parent isn't in tune with the child's needs, the court will most likely give custody to the other parent. In such situations, the court will find it risky to grant custody to the parent who is out of touch with their child's personality and demands.

For example, if one parent has a busy schedule and is hardly at home, they're out of tune with the child's needs. Additionally, if one parent has not been meeting any of the child's financial needs, the court may favor the other parent.

Your lawyer can help prove that you're the one who is more attached to the child. The court will usually prefer to give sole custody to a parent who has an emotional attachment to the child and shows financial responsibility for the child's needs.

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