Child Custody Attorney Near Me

Legal and Physical Custody

There are two types of custody that must be determined for each child: physical custody and legal custody.

Physical custody is the responsibility to provide a home and all that comes with housing a child. This includes meals, household items, and the day-to-day involvement a parent has in his or her child’s life, such as helping with homework and transporting the child to and from school.

Legal custody is the responsibility of making important decisions on a child’s behalf, such as those about his or her education, healthcare, and religious upbringing.

Joint and Sole Custody

Both types of custody can be held jointly or solely. When a parent has sole custody of his or her child, he or she handles all of the responsibilities associated with that type of custody alone. For example, if a parent has sole physical custody of his or her child, the child lives in that parent’s home every day. In a situation like this, the other parent may have parenting time with the child.

When parents have joint custody, they both hold the responsibilities associated with it. For example, parents who have joint legal custody of their child must work together to make decisions on the child’s behalf. It is possible for parents to have joint physical custody while one has sole legal custody or vice versa.

How is Child Custody Determined in Michigan?

The court makes determinations about a child’s custody arrangement based on what it feels is in the child’s best interest. Often, this is done using recommendations from a Friend of the Court.

Issues considered to determine the arrangement that best suits a child’s needs include:

• The child’s relationship with each parent;
• Each parent’s mental and physical health;
• Each parent’s income and ability to provide for the child financially;
• The child’s established routine; and
• Each parent’s history of cooperation with the court.

Other factors may be considered as well, such as any history of domestic violence or criminal activity.

Work with an Experienced Clinton Township Child Custody Attorney

If you are a parent going through a divorce, it is important that you work with an experienced child custody attorney to act as your advocate. You have as much of a right to your child as your former spouse has, regardless of your gender. To learn more about your parental rights and how to assert them in court, schedule your free legal consultation with our team of child custody attorneys at Iafrate & Salassa, P.C.