Raising a child is a collaborative effort between parents. Accordingly, when getting a divorce, the parents or the court must establish a parenting plan that determines child custody.
A dedicated attorney could work to protect your rights as a parent during the creation of a child custody plan as well as aim for fair modifications when existing plans are no longer feasible. One of the main goals of a Glastonbury child custody lawyer is to help you fight for what is best for both you and your child.
Connecticut General Statutes §45a-606 states that both the father and mother of a child have equal rights and responsibilities to care for and raise their children. However, often when parents no longer live in the same place, these responsibilities shift.
There are two forms of custody when it comes to the rights of parents to raise children. The most readily apparent is physical custody, which determines which days a child may spend living with either parent. In most cases, the ideal physical custody agreement splits custody as evenly as possible and considers both parents to be competent legal guardians who can provide a safe home for their child.
The other form of custody is legal custody, which gives a parent the right to make decisions concerning the child’s future. Common issues over which legal custody grants a parent authority include:
C.G.S. §46b-56a establishes a presumption that a court can award joint custody over a child. While courts do have the option to issue sole custody, the judge in the case must state in writing the justification for that order. A Glastonbury child custody attorney could provide more information about child custody orders and help fight for what is best for a child’s future.
Any child custody order that comes out of a family court carries the full weight of the law. This means that both parties are obligated by law to follow these orders, and that a failure to do so may bring charges of contempt.
C.G.S. §46b-87 provides that one parent may file a complaint with the family court alleging that the other has not followed the instructions of the court. If the court decides that contempt has occurred, that court may order the at-fault party to pay for attorney’s fees and other costs to the complaining parent. A child custody lawyer in Glastonbury could help file contempt orders against non-compliant parents as well as defend parents facing accusations of failing to follow parenting plans.
In some cases, a parent may no longer be able to follow the terms of a child custody plan. In this situation, it may be appropriate for a parent to ask the court to modify an existing child custody order. To accomplish this, however, the parent making the motion must be able to point to a significant change in circumstances that makes a modification the best outcome for the welfare of the child.
Nothing in your life is more important than the proper care of your children, and a major part of this consideration could be the custody of children following the dissolution of their parents’ relationship. Whether this occurs as the result of a divorce or two unwed parents who no longer live together, each parent has the right to physical and legal custody over their child under normal circumstances.
A Glastonbury child custody lawyer could help protect for your parental rights, speak to your abilities to provide a proper home for your child, and help create a fair parenting plan. Call today to explore your options.