Child Custody, Visitation and Support
Sitlinger, McGlincy, Theiler & Karem - a Louisville, Kentucky, Law Firm
When any judge makes a determination regarding child custody, child visitation or child support, that judge has one overriding priority in mind: the best interests of the child. That means living with the parent who is best positioned to care for the child, having access to both parents (unless one is unfit) and having as much financial support as the noncustodial parent is reasonably able to afford.
If you're facing a child custody battle, make sure your attorney has the experience to stand up for your rights as a parent. Contact Sitlinger, McGlincy, Theiler & Karem online or call 502-410-3847 to schedule a free initial consultation.
Child Custody vs. Primary Residence
Many of our clients initially equate the two terms "child custody" and "primary residence," but there is a distinction between the two:
- Child custody refers to the parent's authority to make decisions over the child's health, education, welfare and religion.
- Primary residence refers to which parent's household the child will spend the majority of his or her time in.
Within the confines of a divorce case (or even a post-decree modification proceeding), the primary residence is the most crucial. All of the decisions made with the authority of child custody have typically been made long before the divorce. But the issue of primary residence is still entirely up in the air.
Post-decree Modifications
In addition, child support, custody and visitation arrangements can be modified if there has been a significant change of circumstances that warrants the change. However, unless it can be shown that the children are in some mental, physical, emotional or psychological danger, no changes can be made until two years after the original decree. In addition, if the custodial spouse wishes to move the children to a new home far away from the non-custodial parent, the court must approve of the move.
For a free initial consultation with a lawyer at Sitlinger, McGlincy, Theiler & Karem, call 502-410-3847 or contact us online and we'll schedule a time to discuss your case.
