Best Family Law Attorneys in Portsmouth, VA

If you’re a parent currently in a child custody dispute, it’s essential that you have all of the information concerning which factors the courts use to make decisions with child custody cases. After all, this decision will span legal custody. Legal custody is the right to participate in any decisions regarding your child’s life, visitation rights, and physical custody. Many court systems prefer the negotiated parenting agreement when it comes to child custody arrangements because they’re amenable to both parties involved. However, there are some situations where a negotiated custody agreement isn’t in the child’s best interest, or it may simply be impossible. The overarching determining principle in a child custody dispute is to find out what is the child’s best interest, including the child’s financial welfare, safety, health, and general well-being. The decision will rest heavily on the evidence each side of the dispute presents to the court. When you have a negotiated agreement, the courts favor joint legal and physical custody. If there isn’t such an agreement, the court won’t oppose or favor joint custody in any one case. The law also recognizes that joint custody may be impossible. However, the law does assume that this setup is usually in the best interest of the child, and the judge has to give a written explanation of any custody decision that doesn’t include joint custody to whichever parent requests it.