Birmingham Child Custody Attorneys

When a couple experiences strife or chooses to obtain a divorce, the situation is almost never an easy one. When children are involved, everything becomes even more emotionally charged and complex. If you are locked in a child custody hearing and are looking for the best way to ensure that you receive the parenting time to which you are entitled, it is important to reach out to an experienced child custody lawyer in Alabama as quickly as possible. You are lucky in that the state of Alabama, in general, seeks to award both parents with parenting time. That does not mean that you won’t need all of the legal expertise that the best attorneys can offer you.

The Bloomston Firm offers their clients a skilled and practiced legal team that understands not only how overwhelming child custody cases can be, but also how complex they can ultimately become. Our Alabama lawyers have the experience needed to give you the very best outcome possible in your specific situation. We will aggressively fight to ensure that your legal rights are upheld and that the court hears all of the information pertinent to your case.

What kind of custody is common in Alabama?

Child custody in Alabama can be a confusing affair sometimes. The state generally prefers to award joint custody whenever possible. This sometimes leads people to believe that they will have equal custody with their significant other, but that is not necessarily the case. Joint custody does not mean that the custody is a 50/50 split. It is entirely possible that one parent will be awarded physical custody while the other is awarded some measure of parenting time.

Why does this matter? Well, keep in mind that child custody often dictates things like the amount of money you are ordered to pay in child support payments. Additionally, while joint custody prevents one parent from making the big decisions regarding things like schooling, religion, extracurricular activities, and health care, the amount of parenting time you receive will, naturally, impact the amount of involvement that you have in your child’s life. It is important, therefore, to ensure that your attorney can handle any issues that might arise during the course of your custody hearing and do their best to keep you a part of your child’s life.

How does the state of Alabama determine custody arrangements?

First of all, it should be noted that if you can decide upon a custody arrangement with your partner, this will usually be honored by the court. An attorney who understands child custody law can help guide you through this process to ensure that you fully understand what you are agreeing to. If you cannot agree upon a custody and visitation arrangement with your significant other, then the court will have to determine one instead. This decision will be made with the child’s best interests in mind.

Some of the factors that will be considered when it comes to determining child custody are the following:

• Any prior criminal history, particularly for domestic violence.
• Any existing child-parent relationships in play.
• The location, geographically, of the parents.
• The willingness of each parent to cooperate and compromise.
• The child’s wishes.

How does visitation work?

If one parent is given physical custody, the other usually receives visitation. This can be supervised or unsupervised in nature, however in the majority of cases, the parent not awarded physical custody receives unsupervised visitation. To help facilitate a regular schedule of visitation, Alabama has established a standard schedule. Barring additional agreements, this routine involves the parent without physical custody receiving the child every-other weekend as well as every Wednesday evening. They also receive half of every summer vacation as well as alternating holidays.

If you are anticipating a child custody battle, then you should absolutely invest in an Alabama child custody attorney. They can help make sure that you receive time with your child and are able to continue being an important part of their life.

Contact A Child Custody Lawyer For Help

For more information about how a child custody lawyer at The Bloomston Firm can help you – reach out to us today!