Child Custody Lawyers

Massachusetts Child Custody Lawyers in Mansfield, MA | Bristol County

Parents who are getting divorced face significant legal matters regarding their children. Because children are involved, a divorce can be overwhelming when having to address the topic of child custody. In most cases, both parents have worked hard for the family. Whether they both work or one does and the other cares for the home, their cooperation has established a certain quality of life for their children. Each parent has become accustomed to seeing their children every day. Unfortunately, divorce will have a serious impact on the nuclear family. This fact leads many people to court over who deserves custody of the children. It is important to note that both parents have equal rights to custody unless the court deems one a danger. This means that because you may have taken care of the child for more of the time does not necessarily mean that you will be automatically rewarded custody. This matter deserves the attention of an experienced law firm. For over 30 years, The Law Offices of Cynthia L. Hanley, P.C. has provided effective legal services for people in Massachusetts. Our firm understands how stressful an uncertain future can be and we are ready to fight for you. For a consultation, contact our firm.

Physical Custody

Physical custody details where the child resides. For most cases, parents have a shared physical custody arrangement. This means that the parents work together, sharing their time with the child and cooperating to mitigate the impact of the divorce on their lives. As the court believes both parents need and deserve frequent access to the child, the court will work to establish a shared parenting structure when it is applicable. In some cases, a parent is awarded sole physical custody because of a danger posed by the other or according to the hardship of the living arrangements, namely after relocation.

Legal custody

Legal custody is the most important factor in a child custody case. Legal custody is the right for a parent to make the significant decisions on issues regarding academics, religion, and health care, to name a few.  For most families, the court will award both parents legal custody. In some rare cases, a parent can lose legal custody and physical custody if they are deemed unfit to parent. These cases can involve criminal history, substance abuse, and other issues that lead a court to consider one parent a danger. This is called sole custody. If you need to fight for legal custody, it is important to have quality legal support to protect your parental relationship.

Important factors to the court

For courts to decide on custody, they will take many factors into consideration, including the stability of the households, any history of criminal activities or substance abuse, who parented the child more often before the divorce, the impact of the decision on the child’s educational, physical, and psychological needs, and the parent’s ability to meet the needs of the child’s living arrangements and lifestyle. To develop a comprehensive plan to protect your relationship, contact our firm.

Contact a Bristol County Child Custody Attorney

For over 30 years, The Law Offices of Cynthia L. Hanley, P.C. has provided quality legal support for clients across the state of Massachusetts. It is important to have the representation possible to protect your rights and the future relationship between you and your child. For effective and compassionate counsel, contact The Law Offices of Cynthia L. Hanley, P.C. for a consultation to discuss your legal matter.