Child custody cases often come along with a divorce, but this isn’t the only time that these cases come up. Some child custody cases come when a child’s parents aren’t married but choose to break up a relationship. They can also come when those parents never had a formal relationship. In all of these cases, the children must remain the focus of the case.
Coming up with a parenting plan is a crucial step in the child custody process. Ideally, the mother and father can work as a team for the child’s sake to come up with a plan that puts the child’s needs first. This can help the child to thrive now and it sets a good example for the kid down the road.
We realize that working with your ex isn’t something that will come easily. Fortunately, you can use mediation to help keep the conversations on track and work toward an agreement. The parenting plan that you have should address the child’s needs now. It might be tempting to try to cover all the bases for the rest of his or her childhood, but this isn’t usually a good idea.
Child custody agreements can usually be changed with the circumstances of the child’s life change. These modifications are usually possible by both parents coming to an agreement about the matters at hand. Even if you don’t want to have to deal with your ex again like this, it might be necessary. We can help you determine when you should push for a custody modification and how to go about making it happen.