A child custody lawyer Tampa FL residents respect may be beneficial to have when you are going through a child custody battle. At The McKinney Law Group, we understand the serious nature of your child custody matter and want to offer our assistance. Our goal is to find a legal solution that works for your unique situation. When To Modify Your Child Custody Agreement?
Does Custody Always Get Awarded to One Parent?
It is a common belief that custody is usually given to one parent. However, judges frequently award custody to both parents, as a child custody lawyer in Tampa FL can attest. This is known as joint custody. Here are three types of joint custody:
- Joint legal custody – Parents both have a say on educational, medical and religious matters that involve the children.
- Joint physical custody – Children spend a significant amount of time with each parent.
- Both joint physical custody and legal custody.
What Factors Are Considered When Deciding Who Gets Custody?
Before awarding custody to one or both parents, a judge will consider the child’s best interests. As a child custody lawyer Tampa FL locals trust can confirm, here are a few factors the judges look at before awarding custody to a parent:
- Each parent’s mental and physical health: If a parent’s mental or physical health is not good, a judge may worry that he or she may not be able to take care of the children properly and award custody to the other parent.
- Each parent’s financial situation: A child custody lawyer Tampa FL residents rely on has seen judges take every parent’s financial situation into consideration during a child custody battle. A judge wants to make sure a parent has the financial resources to provide shelter, food, clothing and other necessities for a child before awarding custody.
- The child’s preference: If the child is at least 12, the judge may consider who he or she wants to live with.
- Each parent’s living situation: As a Tampa child custody lawyer can verify, judges often look into every parent’s living situation during custody battles. For example, the judge may decide to award custody to the parent who continues to live in the family home to provide the child with some type of stability after the divorce.
- Each parent’s lifestyle: The way a parent lives his or her life is also taken into account during a child custody battle. For instance, if a parent abuses alcohol or is a convicted felon, the judge may be wary about awarding that parent custody.
- Each parent’s relationship with the child: A child custody lawyer Tampa FL locals depend on has known judges who look at each parent’s relationship with the child prior to the divorce. If a child and parent did not have a very close relationship before, the judge may decide against awarding that parent custody.
Do not wait to hire legal assistance for your child custody battle. If you are looking for a child custody lawyer Tampa FL offers, contact The McKinney Law Group at 813-906-0048.