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Child Custody Attorneys Norfolk

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Child custody concerns are common. They play a role in every divorce involving shared children, but child custody modifications after divorce also frequently arise. If you are facing a child custody issue, don’t risk taking the matter into your own hands – reach out to an experienced child custody attorney in Norfolk for the legal guidance you need. 

Virginia Divorce

In a Virginia divorce, child custody is categorized as both legal custody and physical custody, and these comprise your child custody arrangements. If you are facing a divorce involving children, your child custody arrangements are naturally a primary concern, and better understanding the legal basics may help you better protect your legal rights throughout the divorce process.  

Divorce and Legal Custody

Legal custody determines whether one of you or both of you will take on the responsibility of making those decisions that guide your children’s upbringing. The kinds of overarching decisions involved in legal custody include the following:

  • Where your children will receive their schooling
  • The kind of medical care and treatment your children will receive
  • The kind of religious upbringing your children will receive
  • The extracurricular activities and elective travel that your children will participate in
  • Where your children will make their primary home

The options you have regarding legal custody include all the following:

  • You and your ex make these primary decisions by consensus between yourselves.
  • You and your ex make these primary decisions by consensus, but one of you takes on the authority to break a tie if your concerted efforts to negotiate a mutually acceptable decision fail.
  • You and your ex share this responsibility by splitting them according to category between yourselves (you make certain kinds of decisions, and your ex makes other kinds of decisions).
  • One of you is granted sole legal custody, and that parent takes on this parental responsibility on his or her own. 

Divorce and Physical Custody

Physical custody is more in line with what you probably think of in relation to custody. Physical custody determines when your children will be spending time with you and when they will be spending time with your ex. While there are an infinite number of scheduling options you can employ, the two basic forms of physical custody include:

  • The kids spend the majority of their time with the primary custodial parent, while the other parent receives a visitation schedule.  
  • The kids divide their time more evenly between both you and your ex’s home.

Negotiating Child Custody Terms

If you and your children’s other parent are able to find common ground and negotiate child custody terms that work for both of you, the court is very likely to accept them. If you can’t, however, you’ll need the court’s intervention on the matter. 

Discuss Your Case with an Experienced Child Custody Attorney in Norfolk

The seasoned child custody lawyers at Mahoney Richmond Thurston, PLLC in Norfolk, Virginia, are well-positioned to skillfully advocate for your case’s optimal outcome. To learn more, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.