How COVID Has Complicated Child Custody Cases
When a couple decides to end their relationship, children often take the biggest emotional hit. However, much of the emotional stress that results from parents splitting up can be managed by creating a parenting plan that includes both parents in the child’s life regularly or coming to a fair and balanced decision with the child’s concerns in mind. For guidance in creating a comprehensive parenting time plan that supports the best interests of your child, contact the Somerset County family lawyers at the Law Offices of Kisha M. Hebbon today.
While not all decisions that come out of divorce will alleviate the pain the child is going through, reaching a logical child custody agreement can be the first step toward an agreeable solution for all persons involved. In New Jersey, parenting time, or visitation, is one of the biggest issues in divorce court.
In New Jersey, there are four primary types of custody, all of which will directly influence the type of parenting plan you’ll follow.
Sole Physical Custody
In New Jersey, sole residential custody is an agreement whereby a child lives with one of his or her parents most of the time. In these arrangements, the child will spend less than two nights at the other parent’s home each week, with some exceptions for vacation or holiday time.
Shared Physical Custody
When a child spends more than two nights every week with each parent, one is considered the parent of primary residence, and the other is referred to as the parent of alternate residence. These qualifications are important when it comes to deciding on child support payments and which is his or her legal residence for school.
Sole Legal Custody
Unlike physical custody, sole legal custody refers to one parent being able to make monumental decisions that will affect the overall life of their child without having to discuss it with the other parent. This type of agreement is unusual and is typically only established when one parent is considered unfit.
Joint Legal Custody
This type of agreement is far more common, as both parents participate in the major decisions of a child’s life. In some agreements, parents share some decision-making with the other parent and not others. These qualifiers are discussed during divorce proceedings, with a formal agreement in writing.
Each state is different when it comes to weighing the intricate details of child custody. In New Jersey, some factors are weighed above others, with the following as a few examples:
When possible, children benefit when their parents effectively co-parent together rather than despite one another. It is important that each parent has time with their child and that they are involved in the child’s life. It is also important to cooperate with the other parent to provide a better home life for your child.
A child should also not feel as though they have to choose sides and should be free to express love for both parents. When your child becomes moody or begins to pull back, it is a better approach to talk to your child as a team and put their needs above your discomfort. Developing a parenting plan before issues occur can also help the flow of things and create a more copasetic environment for every member of your family.
Our team of Somerset parenting time lawyers at the Law Offices of Kisha M. Hebbon weigh what your family deems important during the deciding moments of your divorce proceedings. With years of experience in finding happy mediums for separating spouses, we help our clients achieve as much peace as possible during a time of turmoil. Contact us today so we can get started working on your case.
