Dodge County Child Custody Attorney
Finding the Right Child Custody Lawyer
Child custody can be an emotionally charged issue for parents who are involved in family law cases. Whether you are going through a divorce or are an unmarried parent who is seeking to establish a custody agreement that will provide for your children's best interests, an experienced attorney can help guide you through the legal process and ensure that your parental rights are protected. Decisions about legal custody and physical placement can have implications that will affect you and your children for years to come. By addressing these issues correctly, you can make sure your children's needs will be met at all times.
At John T. Fields & Associates, LLC, our attorney can provide valuable advice on how to address child custody issues. With over 20 years of experience assisting with multiple types of complex family law cases, we know how to ensure that your parental rights will be safeguarded. However, we recognize that the needs and interests of children should be the first priority in these cases, and we will help you focus on finding solutions that will provide for your children's best interests.
Legal Concerns Affecting Child Custody Matters in Dodge County
Child custody cases will involve many different legal issues, including how decision-making responsibilities (legal custody) will be allocated between parents and the specific days and times when children will live or stay with each parent. We can help you understand how to address issues such as:
- Joint custody - Most of the time, Wisconsin family courts choose to implement solutions where both parents share the responsibility of making decisions for their children in matters such as education and healthcare, while also ensuring that children will spend a significant amount of time with each parent. This allows both parents to have an active role in their children's lives and promotes healthy parent/child relationships. We can help you determine whether legal custody may be shared or whether either parent may have primary or sole responsibility in certain areas.
- Sole custody - Joint custody may not be appropriate if there are concerns about one parent's ability to make decisions or provide a safe and stable environment for the children. In these cases, sole legal and/or physical custody may be awarded to one parent. Sole legal custody may also be appropriate if high levels of conflict between parents will make it difficult or impossible for them to agree with each other when making important decisions. Sole physical custody may be granted in some cases, but most of the time, both parents will have the right to spend appropriate amounts of quality time with children on a regular basis.
- Physical custody/child placement - Physical custody or visitation is known as physical placement in Wisconsin, and it refers to any days and times when children will reside in a parent's home or spend time in a parent's care. The schedule for placement will depend on the specific circumstances of a case, including the children's ages and needs, the desires of the parents and children, the work schedules of each parent, the parents' ability to cooperate with each other, and any other relevant factors that affect children's best interests. Our attorney can help you negotiate a placement schedule that works for you and your children.
- Parenting agreements and co-parenting - The ability and willingness of parents to cooperate to raise their children and put the children's best interests ahead of their own desires can be crucial in child custody cases. A well-executed parenting plan that fully details all issues related to legal and physical custody can be essential. We can help negotiate these types of agreements, ensuring that you will be prepared to address any issues related to your children that you may encounter in the future.
Contact Our Dodge County, WI Child Custody Lawyer
At John T. Fields & Associates, LLC, we understand the challenges and complexities associated with child custody cases. We are dedicated to providing you with sound legal advice that takes into account your children's best interests while protecting your parental rights. If you need assistance resolving a child custody matter in Dodge County, please do not hesitate to contact us today at 608-729-3590. Our experienced family law attorney is ready to assist you through each step of the process so that you can achieve an outcome that is favorable for your family.