It is not uncommon for child custody to become an issue for two parents who are not married. The relationship might be on the rocks or someone might be moving and it could cause an issue in the previous agreement when it comes to visitation and custody. Instead of playing tug-of-war with your child, it would be in that child’s best interest for you to hire a Child custody lawyer in Sierra Vista and file for an official custody order. While informal agreements work some of the time, you are always going to have peace of mind with a legal document stating all of the rights to your child.
Traditionally, you would expect a mother to be granted physical custody and the father to be granted joint-legal custody with visitation rights. While it is true that most courts like to place a child with their mother, they are only going to do so if that is in the best interest of the child. The court is going to look at the lifestyles of the parents, their health, and their ability to take care of the child. If your child is over the age of 12, the judge is also going to ask the child what they want and who they would like to live in. The judge may or may not base their decision off of what the child wants. However, they certainly will take it into account.
A child custody agreement is a legal documentation that outlines the guidelines that were established by the court in regards to child custody. Most of the time, you are going to get this kind of legal documentation after a divorce or legal separation takes place. It is always a good idea to obtain a custody agreement so the other parent cannot legally take off with your child. In order to obtain this kind of documentation you are going to need to hire a Child custody lawyer in Sierra Vista and go through the court system. A judge most issue and approve the conditions of child custody in order for them to be legal and binding.
