Custody Concerns During COVID-19 Quarantine
Having the schools close, businesses shutdown, and stay-at-home orders in effect are challenging for many families. This situation can become even more stressful if you and your ex share custody of your child. What happens to your custody arrangement in this situation?
In general, stay-at-home orders are not meant to disrupt current custody arrangements. If you are your spouse are co-parenting in a healthy manner, you should discuss a plan for sharing custody upfront. This can include ensuring both parents are engaging in proper social isolation so your child can safely travel between the two homes.
Some people are still working outside of the house, or they might be taking stay-at-home orders seriously. If you are concerned that your ex is regularly exposed to others, you should discuss your options with an experienced custody lawyer. While courts are closed for regularly-scheduled cases, you might be able to obtain an emergency custody order if you believe your ex is putting your child at risk.
Modifying Custody for High-Risk Children
Some children are at a much higher risk of experiencing dangerous complications of COVID-19 due to underlying health conditions. If your child is immuno compromised, has asthma, or other respiratory or cardiac conditions, you might not want to expose them to anything outside your home at all – even just going to your ex’s house.
In this situation, you and your ex might want to agree to modify the custody or visitation schedule for the time being. There are many video options for visitations with the other parent, and your child’s safety should be your priority.
Contact a Child Custody Lawyer in Southfield Today
If you have questions or concerns about custody in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, do not hesitate to call McGuigan Law, PLLC, for assistance. Contact us online or call 248.356.9100 to speak with a Southfield child custody attorney.
- Published in Child Custody
Information You Might Need for Your Divorce
If you have the feeling your marriage might beheading for divorce, it is important to prepare for this situation. Divorce is a complicated process that can impact the rest of your life, and you want to be in the best possible position to protect your interests. One way you might prepare is to start gathering the information you will need to file for divorce or respond to a divorce filing by your spouse.
(more…)- Published in Divorce
Can Divorce Mediation Help in Your Case?
Many spouses decide to get divorced because they can no longer get along or agree on important matters. However, part of the divorce process is resolving important issues such as property division and child custody. Many spouses simply cannot reach an agreement on their own, but they do not want to put the power into the hands of the court. In this situation, mediation might be a helpful solution.
(more…)- Published in Divorce
Deciding How to Share Custody of Your Children
If you are getting a divorce with children or ending a relationship with your child’s other parent, the matter of custody will need to be decided. When parents cannot agree on an arrangement, the court must decide the matter for them. This takes all control away from the parents,and it can also be a time-consuming and costly process. It is almost always preferable to decide how to split custody on your own, so you know the arrangement will be practical and feasible with your schedules and situations.
Once you sit down to try to work out a custody arrangement – where do you start? First, it is important to remember that state law favors a child maintaining relationships with both parents, which means that joint custody is preferred when possible. There are a limited number of situations in which sole custody will be awarded:
- One parent is unfit
- The parents live far away from one another
- One parent voluntarily relinquishes custody rights
Otherwise, you will need to decide on a shared custody schedule.
Some parents decide to split time almost 50/50, while others might decide the child will primarily live with one parent and visit with the other parent. As long as your arrangement is in the best interests of your child, you have flexible options when it comes to deciding on a specific schedule. It is important to have the advice and counsel of an experienced custody lawyer in Southfield during your negotiations to make sure you are aware of all the options that might work for you.
Discuss a Possible Case with a Custody Lawyer in Southfield
A Southfield custody attorney at McGuigan Law,PLLC, can help parents reach custody agreements whenever possible. Call 248.356.9100 or contact us online as soon as possible if you are facing a divorce or custody case.
- Published in Child Custody