A Good Future for the Children
One of the key issues facing every divorcing couple is the care of the children. Who will have them on a daily basis? What are the limits or rules surrounding visitation? Who gets to make the big decisions?
At the Boston, Massachusetts area law firm of S. De Oliveira Law, LLC, we have seen many child custody and paternity issues before, and we can help. Our family law attorneys work as a dynamic team to give you the most clear and comprehensive representation possible.
Child Custody Issues
When a couple divorces, they need to figure out what will happen to the children:
Physical Custody
Physical custody refers to which parent has the child. The parent that provides the child with his or her primary place of residence is said to have "physical custody."
Legal Custody
Legal custody is not concerned with which parent the child is living with, but with which parent has the authority to make major decisions on the child's behalf. Until a child is of adult age, the parent with legal custody has the authority to make the child's decisions.
During a divorce, it is necessary to work the details surrounding which parent gets to make the major decisions for the child regarding things like:
- School choice
- Major medical procedures
- Piercings and permanent body markings
Paternity Issues and Unwed Father's Rights
If the child was born to the parents outside of traditional marriage, formally establishing paternity is a necessary step to asserting the father's rights. Many of our clients are surprised to find that, until a father establishes paternity officially, in the eyes of the courts, he has no rights whatsoever regarding his children. The ironic thing is that often fathers in this situation, with no rights whatsoever regarding their children, are still required by the court to make child support payments.
Contact Us
If you are a father looking for some say in your children's future or if you need representation regarding child custody, contact us. During your free initial consultation a lawyer will work with you to formulate a plan for the representation.
