Alexandria Child Custody Lawyer

There are many type of child custody, sole custody, joint legal custody, and joint physical custody. As an Alexandria child custody lawyer I can help you defend your child custody in court and defend your legal rights. 

read below how custody is determined by best interest of the child

Different Kinds of Child Custody

Alexandria, Virginia has many kinds of custody rights (law section 20-124.2) that will each fit different families differently. 

We are going to talk about three common kinds of custody. 

These are the custody mentioned above: sole custody, joint physical custody, and joint legal custody.

Sole custody is what it sounds like. 

One of the child’s parents has sole parenting power over the child and major decisions in the life of the child. 

Essentially, sole custody makes the parent with that right the only parent of the child. 

The other parent might have the ability to get visitation rights that allow them to spend time with the child, but visitation rights do not provide the parent with legal decision-making power.

Next, joint physical custody allows both parents to have the child on a schedule. 

Both parents raise the child and have the legal power to make decisions for the child. 

Typically, the children will spend time with each parent on a schedule the parents agree to. 

If the parents do not agree to a schedule, the court will make one.

Joint legal custody is very similar to joint physical custody. 

Both parents can make important decisions for the child, but the child spends more time with one parent than the other parent. 

Joint legal custody is common for parents who agree on how to raise the child

Third-Party Custody

Virginia and Alexandria make the best interest of the children their top priority. 

Normally, the top choice of the court is at least one biological parent. 

However, if both natural parents are for some reason unfit to parent children, the court can assign custody to third parties. 

This decision is not made lightly and will be made at the discretion of the court. 

Courts tend to grant custody to third parties who are still related to the children in question but will make exceptions in the best interest of the children.

Visitation Rights

Alexandria, Virginia has two different versions of visitation rights.  Normally, courts give a parent the right to unsupervised visitation. 

But, courts can also require visitation to be supervised. 

Visitation rights are based on court orders, so you need a court order, a modification of one, or the enforcement of an order to alter or gain visitation rights.

It can be hard to get an order from a court. 

To secure a court order, you have to appear in court and make a legal argument that persuades the judge. 

If your argument is effective, the judge can order a schedule of visitation rights. 

Judges will consider the schedules of the parents, the child, their school, and anything else that would affect the child. 

If you want to go to court with the best possible argument, you need the dedicated attorneys at the American Lawyers Group.

If there are major changes to the parents’ schedules or that of the child that makes the court’s visitation order obsolete, you can argue for modifications to the previous court order. 

Judges will communicate and work with parents to make a new visitation order, but the primary goal is the best interest of the children.

If something is preventing you from visiting your children, talk to your attorney. 

Your attorney can work with the court to enforce the visitation order and preserve your rights

Factors the Court Will Consider

Courts weigh many factors when they are deciding custody rights and visitation rights. 

Factors, such as the mental condition of the parties, domestic abuse records, the children’s needs, and more, are balanced by the court. 

If you are curious about what other variables a court will look at, call the attorneys at American Lawyers Group.

Why You Need an Alexandria Child Custody Lawyer?

Child custody disputes are hard.  They bring up difficult conversations and raw emotions. 

These cases are very personal, and they should be.  You want your child raised as well as possible. 

To make these cases easier, you need the dedication of the attorneys at the American Lawyers Group.

Get an experienced Alexandria child custody lawyer from the American Lawyers Group to determine the best course of action for you and your child.