Rochester Hills Child Custody Attorneys

If you are facing a divorce involving children, need a child custody modification, or have other child custody concerns, it’s a critical matter, and you’re always well advised to seek the professional legal counsel of an experienced Rochester Hills child custody attorney. The fact is that, even if you’ve already hammered out child custody terms that worked for you at the time, your children’s needs evolve with each passing year, and child custody modifications are not uncommon. 

Child Custody: Legal and Physical

Child custody is typically categorized as either legal or physical, and both can be either joint or sole. Legal custody refers to who takes on the important rights and responsibilities of making important decisions on behalf of the children, including:

• Decisions about their educations
• Decisions about their participation in extracurriculars
• Decisions about their religious upbringing
• Decisions about their health care

Physical custody, on the other hand, refers to whom the children live with. Joint custody can mean that the children split their time equally between both your homes – but any schedule that works for your unique family can be arranged (as long as you’re both willing to sign off on it). Even if one of you has sole custody, however, the other parent will very likely be awarded a visitation schedule. The court is always guided by the best interest of the children, and – barring clear and convincing evidence that it’s not in their best interest – it generally awards both parents time with their shared children. 

Relevant Factors

When determining what is in the best interest of the children, the court turns to the following important factors, which help support a well-rounded overview of the matter:

• The depth of the bond the children share with each of you.
• You and your ex’s individual abilities to provide your children with the ongoing love, guidance, affection, and education they need
• You and your ex’s individual abilities to provide your children with the shelter, food, clothing, and medical care they need
• How long your children have lived in the environment they’re currently living in – and if it is worthy of maintaining the status quo
• How well the children’s current living environment supports the family’s permanence (for example, are siblings living together)
• Whether or not your children are thriving in their current environment (including at school and socially)
• The physical and mental health status of both you and your ex
• Your children’s reasonable preferences (if deemed appropriate by the court)
• You and your ex’s capacity and inclination to continue fostering a close, loving relationship between your shared children and the other parent
• Whether there is a history of domestic violence
• Any other factor the court deems relevant

You Need an Experienced Rochester Hills Child Custody Attorney on Your Side

The dedicated child custody attorneys at the Law Offices of Robbins & Licavoli in Rochester Hills are committed to skillfully advocating for child custody terms that support you and your children’s rights and best interests. Our formidable legal team is on your side, so please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information today.