Undoubtedly, nothing is more important that your children. Oftentimes, when dealing with a paternity or divorce case, the most challenging issues involve the parenting arrangement, where people can spend nearly a fortune to battle the other parent regarding what is best for their children.
There are a number of different strategies and factors to consider during a dispute for child custody. The first step is to act civilly and determine what common ground there is between you and the other parent. Otherwise stated, it is best to focus on what you can agree upon, such as what pediatrician to use, what school will the child or children attend, what activities will they be involved in, and who will transport them in addition to the parents? Overall, it is best to hammer out these details before getting to the contested issues such as which nights will the children of the marriage spend with each parent.
If there is a dispute where the communication between the parents have become heated, it may best to hire a child custody evaluator. This is an individual with a mental health background who has special training in interviewing the children of the marriage and the parents in order to identify the problem areas between the parents that may cause harm to the children. Keep in mind that the court typically orders an evaluator to work with parents who contest child custody.
If a child custody evaluator cannot seem to help the parents agree to a child custody arrangement, then a parenting coordinator may be of help. This person not only has a mental health background, but is also trained in assisting parents to hash out the details of the day to day schedules of the children.
If you are facing a child custody dispute, it is critical to hire a skilled Florida Family Law Attorney experienced in the art of mediation to help you to fight for your rights and interests. This individual will aid the parents in coming up with a suitable child custody arrangement, whether by negotiation or through trial.
Attorney Beryl Thompson-McClary has 28 years of child custody law litigation experience in the State of Florida and she is extremely dedicated to achieving the best results for her clients. Schedule a confidential consultation today at no cost to you by calling our Orlando, Florida office at (888) 640-2999.