What to Do if You’re a Father Who Wants to Gain Custody of His Children

Fathers have just as much a right to obtain custody of their children as mothers do. However, many fathers face challenges when trying to gain full or partial custody of their children. Finding the best child custody lawyer and taking steps to show you are capable of caring for your children can help strengthen your arguments for gaining custody. These tips provide guidance about what to do if you are seeking custody of your children.

Stay Current with Child Support Payments

Although child support does not affect your right to obtain custody of your children, a judge may interpret failing to keep up with payments as a lack of interest in caring for your child. If you have been ordered to pay support, make sure to do so on time. If you and your co-parent have an informal child support arrangement, keep records and proof of payment.

Cultivate a Strong Relationship with Your Child

Regardless of your child’s age or how much parenting time you currently have, it is critical to build and maintain a solid relationship with your child. Communicating regularly, whether by phone, text, videoconference, or in person, shows your child you care about them and keeps you up-to-date on what’s going on in their life. Don’t forget to make time for fun activities and provide emotional support when they need it.  If you have family or close friends in the area, help your child cultivate their relationships with your loved ones as well.

Stay Involved and Attend Important Events

Showing a commitment to supporting the social, educational, and religious aspects of your child’s life can help you make a case for custody.  Parent-teacher meetings, doctor’s appointments, sporting events, school plays, playdates, and birthdays are just a few examples of important activities that can help strengthen your bond with your child and show you are involved in their life.

Keep Records

To demonstrate your involvement in your child’s life, it is a good idea to maintain records of the time you spend with them. Keep a calendar of your visitation schedule and parenting time, your parenting plan, and vacations. You should also document any events or meetings you attend that involve your child. Good child custody lawyers will advise you on exactly what to document and the best way to keep records of your involvement with your child.

Prepare a Space in Your Home for Your Child

All children need their own space where they can spend time relaxing and playing. The court will want to know about how your home is set-up and whether your child has a room of their own. Even if you live in a small apartment, creating a small space for your child to enjoy is essential.

Create a Plan for Your Child’s Needs

Staying on top of all aspects of your child’s care shows that you are dedicated to providing for them to the best of your ability. Write down your plans for their education, child care, after-school activities, and health care. Having a plan for continuing emotional and financial support shows a judge that you are willing to do whatever it takes to give your child a stable and happy life.

Be Respectful

Custody battles are often fraught with emotion and can be very contentious. However, it is vital to show respect to your co-parent and the court. Do not badmouth your co-parent in front of your children or in court proceedings. Judges definitely take your attitude into account when determining custody arrangements, so stay positive and polite.

If you and your co-parent cannot communicate in a civil manner, have your family law attorney handle communications during negotiations and proceedings. It is also important to remember that you and your co-parent share a lifelong commitment to your child, so it is best to make the effort to get along.

If you are a father who is interested in gaining custody of your children, our child custody lawyers offer a free consultation and are happy to answer any questions you may have.

This blog was originally posted on https://pa4law.com/what-to-do-if-youre-a-father-who-wants-to-gain-custody-of-his-children/

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Alcohol and Domestic Abuse: A Dangerous Combination

Alcohol use and domestic violence often go hand-in-hand. Although abuse is not caused by addiction, when someone is under the influence of alcohol or drugs it can make them much more prone to losing control or acting on violent urges. Whether you are a victim of abuse or have been accused of domestic violence, it is important to understand how alcohol use may impact your case. An experienced domestic violence lawyer can help you make sense of it all, and advise you of the best course of action to protect yourself and/or your children.

Correlation Between Alcohol Abuse and Domestic Violence

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 55% of people who commit domestic abuse did so while drinking. In addition, women who experience domestic violence are up to 15 times more likely to use alcohol. 

A study conducted by the University of Minnesota showed that people who are already predisposed to violent behavior may also be more susceptible to substance abuse.  Specifically, children who grow-up in households where domestic violence and alcohol are prevalent may be at greater risk of becoming abusers and/or substance users later in life.

Distorted Perceptions Can Lead to Violence

Alcohol affects one’s ability to perceive, integrate and process information. Although distorted perceptions and poor judgment are not causes of domestic violence, they increase the risk that the user will misunderstand another’s behavior. This is true for the abuser and the victim if they are both drinking. 

If you are in an abusive relationship, finding an affordable divorce attorney who can help you obtain a protection from abuse order is one way to extricate yourself from the situation. An experienced family lawyer can also provide vital support that empowers you to take action and break the cycle of abuse and addiction. 

Similarities Between Alcohol Addiction and Domestic Violence

Domestic abuse and alcohol addiction have common symptoms that may be managed with the right kind of treatment. These include:

• Continuing to take part in negative behaviors despite undesirable consequences

• Feelings of shame and guilt as a result of the behaviors

• Denying or lying about involvement in the behaviors

• Loss of control

• Escalation or worsening of the behaviors over time

When alcohol use and domestic violence are co-occurring, the likelihood of dangerous—even 

 Fatal— consequences increases. Intoxication can result in an abuser being unaware of the severity of the damage he/she is causing to a victim. On the other hand, if a victim is under the influence, they may be unable to recognize their injuries or ask for help. Regardless of which role each person plays, both domestic violence and alcohol abuse cause deep feelings of shame that often keep people from seeking help. If you have been charged with domestic violence, your criminal defense lawyer can help you get the resources you need to find treatment for addiction and other behavioral health issues. 

How a Family Law Attorney Can Help

Domestic violence can impact divorce and custody matters as well. If you have children, it’s important to find the best child custody lawyer you can. An attorney can assess your case, advise of your options, and help protect your rights.

If you are being abused or know someone who needs help, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233 or TTY 1−800−787−3224.

This blog was originally posted on https://pa4law.com/alcohol-and-domestic-abuse-a-dangerous-combination/

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Things You Should do Before You File for Child Custody

Divorce is stressful and emotional for everyone who goes through it, but child custody disputes can take the high stress and negative emotion to a whole new level. There are actions you can and should take before filing for child custody that will enable you to cope better, and assist even the best child custody lawyer to achieve the outcome you desire.

Immediately hire a child custody lawyer

Every child custody case is a mountain of paperwork, court dates, and visitation schedules. The stakes are very high if you miss anything at all, and it is easy for this to happen. Hire a family law attorney before even sticking your toe into these muddy legal waters. Not only does your attorney argue on your behalf in court, but he or she will also organize all the details so nothing is missed.

Keep a custody journal

When you go before a judge, you will need clear and reliable records to back up any assertions about the other parent. Make sure you date every entry; also, write notes about every encounter with the other parent. This is doubly important if you believe he or she has done something that you think is unhealthy for or harmful to the child. Take photos and write down the names of any possible witnesses. Use the journal to record your activities with the child, and your efforts to cooperate with the other parent.

Cooperate with the other parent

Keep an open and courteous dialogue with your ex, even if you are unhappy with the overall situation. Appearing to be unreasonable can work against you in court. If communicating with the other parent is too challenging, ask your divorce lawyer to handle communication or give you advice about how to manage the situation.

Enable visitation for the other parent

Even though you believe you can provide a better environment for the child, do not withhold visitation from the other parent. The court will look more favorably on your case if you cannot be portrayed as spiteful or uncooperative by your spouse’s attorney. Of course, if you suspect an imminent threat to the safety of the child, consult with your attorney about the next best steps.

Be careful in front of the children

Always respect that the children will be very upset if you place them “in the middle” by openly criticizing your ex-spouse or partner. Take the high road, stay calm, and protect the children from negative comments. This is truly the best for the children, and the court will be looking for evidence that you do put their welfare ahead of your own emotional state.

Curtail social media interaction

It is a mistake to use social media to belittle your ex or complain about the custody arrangement you would like to change. Social media is a public space and anything you post there may find its way to the courtroom. Along with refraining from criticism of the other parent, make sure social media does not show you behaving irresponsibly by being drunk or using illegal drugs. Your child support lawyer will tell you that even posting something positive like a new car or dining out can be used against you. You may post wholesome family activities on social media, but in general, it is safest to stay off social media as much as possible.

Are you planning to file for child custody? Call an experienced attorney at Perna & Abracht, LLC. 

This blog was originally posted on https://www.pa4law.com/things-you-should-do-before-you-file-for-child-custody/

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No Contest Divorce in Pennsylvania: Pros and Cons

Divorce is always a challenge, no matter how much the parties appear to agree on many details of the marital property settlement and child custody. The concept of a No Contest divorce sounds very appealing to those who believe they are ending the marriage amicably. However,  the best divorce lawyers will tell you there are both pros and cons to this type of divorce.

How it works

A No Contest (or uncontested) divorce is a divorce in which both parties agree that they have no issues that need to be settled by a court. Both parties believe they can agree on division of property (real estate, retirement funds, savings accounts, investments and businesses), spousal support and/or alimony (if any), and child support, custody and visitation. Because the parties do not need a court to make decisions for them, it is possible to save money on court costs and legal fees.

The pros of No Contest divorce

We have already mentioned a major benefit of No Contest divorce, which is saving money that both parties would have to spend in a contested divorce. Even if you go before a judge and the judge returns a decision that is favorable to you, it is likely to cost you in court fees and fees paid to your attorney.

Another benefit is the time you will save in completing the divorce. A No Contest divorce usually moves more quickly because it is not tied to a court schedule.

Successfully completing an uncontested divorce may result in a more positive relationship after the divorce. If children are involved, this could be an important benefit as you and your ex learn how to parent differently.

The cons of a No Contest divorce

The first con of a No Contest divorce is that “you don’t know what you don’t know.” Navigating a divorce with little or no guidance from an experienced divorce attorney presents so many challenges, such as:

•    Understanding and complying with the Pennsylvania court system (required even in a No Contest divorce);

•    Knowing what settlement amounts are fair given your needs and circumstances;

•    Knowledge of child custody arrangements and their ramifications, which the best child custody lawyer acquires through experience in these matters.

Second, you will need to agree on everything in a No Contest divorce, and as many people have found out, this is extremely rare in a divorce. As you go down the path of a No Contest divorce, it is highly likely that the parties will disagree on some aspect of financial settlement and/or child custody, as money and children are highly emotional triggers in every relationship.

The third con is that, in an effort to move the No Contest divorce along, you may agree to something that will be detrimental to your household or financial future. You need to bear in mind that you and your spouse have certain rights and obligations under Pennsylvania law, and it is in your interest to have the best child support lawyer guiding you with the full force of his or her knowledge and experience.

If you are considering a No Contest divorce in Pennsylvania, it is important to contact Perna & Abracht LLC so they can draft settlement documents, which are complex legal agreements that will have an impact on you and your children for many years to come.

This blog was originally posted on https://www.pa4law.com/no-contest-divorce-in-pennsylvania-pros-and-cons/

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