Legal Complexities in Custody Matters

Legal Complexities

Child custody and visitation cases can involve
a number of complex legal issues. Plus, the
facts of every case vary. Child custody issues
are a major component of divorce proceedings
when children are involved in the dissolution of
a marriage. When a family law court
deliberates on child custody issues, they will
always seek to promote the best interests of
the children involved.

A court can decite a child custody case in
several ways. The Court can grant sole custody
to one parent or other guardian, or joint
custody. Most often, the mother will have
primary custody but that is not set in stone.
With joint custody, each parents play an
integral part in caring for the child. In other
cases, child custody issues are settled by
granting a non-parental guardian primary
custody of the children. A non-parental
guardian may be a grand parent or other close
family relative.

A court may determine who will have legal and
physical custody of the children. Child support
arrangements may also be made in cases
involving child custody issues. Legal custody is
the right and responsibility to decide major
issues, such as: education, extra curricular
activities, day care, health care, emergency
care, religion, and more.

Physical custody is another significant
component of child custody determination.
Physical custody indicates who the child will
live and spend their time with, and it is often
measured in overnights. Physical custody also
involves who the child will live with, spend
weekends, summers, holidays, and other times
with, and which parent will be in charge of
activities. In theory, Physical custody can be
awarded solely to one parent, without visitation
rights for the non-custodial parent; however
that is extremely rare. Physical custody can
also be shared between parents. Call our
Pittsburgh Custody and Visitation Lawyers for
a free consultation!