Are you searching for an experienced Shepherdsville child custody & visitation attorney? When it comes to child custody and visitation issues in Shepherdsville and throughout the greater Louisville area, our Family Courts are focused on what is in the best interests of the child or children. In most cases, the Judge will not pay as much attention to the reason or grounds for the divorce itself. Here in Kentucky, child custody and visitation matters revolve around the existing patterns in each child’s life and the role each parent has played in the life of each child in the past. How will that look going forward?
Here in Kentucky, we begin with the rebuttable presumption that it is in the best interests of each child to spend an equal amount of quality time with each parent. It is natural to begin these cases with a 50% / 50% split between the two parents. Still, how time is divided can be as unique as your family and the child(ren) at the heart of the matter.
My name is John Schmidt, and as an experienced Shepherdsville child custody & visitation attorney with more than 25 years of experience, I can share that in most cases, our Judges prefer to keep siblings together (especially when they are younger). If you and your former spouse wish to deviate from a 50/50 split, the Court may consider many factors, such as:
– The existing patterns in the life of each child
– The role each parent has played in every aspect of each child’s routine (waking routines, school, extra-curriculars, religious practices, etc.)
– The proximity each home will have to the child’s school and after-school care
– The health and unique requirements of each child
– The ability of each parent to communicate in a forthright, respectful manner
– The desire to ensure each child has consistent access to and communications with each parent (especially when they are with the other parent) and
– Alcohol or drug abuse or addiction, or factors such as domestic violence or other criminal activity
When former spouses work together to develop an effective Shepherdsville child custody & visitation schedule, the Court is likely to accept and approve it. As you discuss these situations with the other parent, it is best to focus on what is best for each child and to consider our State’s opening presumption that it is in the best interests of a Kentucky child to spend roughly equal time with each of their parents.
The Court must establish if one or both parties will share the authority to make important decisions regarding the child’s life, including, but not limited to, healthcare and treatment, education, and religious practices. The Law Offices of John Schmidt & Associates has extensive experience in these cases and brings a creative and flexible energy and a spirit of cooperation and “can-do” to these conversations. We will work with you to ensure we protect your rights as a parent while tailoring a child custody and visitation plan that reflects the best interests of each child and the unique patterns in the lives of the children and each parent.
If an agreement cannot be reached between the parents, the Judge in your case will decide. In disputed cases, the Court will impose orders that it believes are in the best interest of each child, and the parents have little to no control over the outcome or how arrangements will ultimately work. When the parties are not able to resolve a matter, and the Judge determines the solution, I can tell you the likelihood of future disputes and expenses is very high.
This is why it is important to work with an experienced Shepherdsville child custody & visitation attorney who will protect your goals and interests while helping to overcome disagreement and contentious issues in order to find a positive solution for your family and each child.
We invite you to contact us via e-mail, schedule an appointment or call us today at (502) 509-1490 to get answers to your questions and to learn more about your unique circumstances and how to protect what is most important to you in your family law case.
