Fighting for custody of a child is always a stressful and traumatic process, so you’ll need all the help you can get. In Sugar Land, TX, there are three crucial areas to consider when it comes to custody agreements: conservatorship, which determines your level of custody, your rights and duties toward your child, and the possession and access rules that regulate who can spend how much time with the child.
When you hire a lawyer, you’ll have the best chance of getting a favorable outcome and being able to spend a lot of time with your child. Not only does a competent attorney have knowledge of the local laws, but they can also help to reassure you throughout the process, come up with a plan for how you will provide for your child, and assist you with any changes you’d like to make to the initial agreement later on.
7 Reasons Lawyers Are Crucial When You’re Fighting for Custody of a Child
1. Help Determining Conservatorship
If it doesn’t seem reasonable that both parents should be a conservator, one party might be granted sole managing conservator status, and they can then make all of the decisions for the child. This can happen if there has been violence, abuse, neglect, absence, or substance abuse. The other parent is usually named possessory conservator and has some limited rights. A lawyer can help you to avoid this last status, so you can stay active in your child’s life.
2. Clarifying Everyone’s Rights and Duties
In many situations, more detailed rules are needed once the basic conservatorship status has been given. It has to be clear who makes the decisions about certain aspects of the child’s life, such as education, religion, and medical and dental care. When it comes to taking care of your child, you will have certain rights to make decisions, but also certain duties.
A great custody lawyer will be able to help you first determine what you want and then fight for your rights in court. They can draw up a plan with you and prompt you to clarify what’s most important to you, so the focus can be put on the most crucial aspects. For example, some parents are very concerned about their child’s religious upbringing. In such a case, your lawyer can help you to get the right to educate your child on religious matters.
3. Figuring Out Possession and Access Rules
If you’d like to gain custody, your lawyer can help you to lay out your case in a way that convinces the judge that you’re the best choice. However, even if you aren’t the custodial parent, you can gain good access rights by employing a lawyer. You might be able to spend time with your child every week or every second week, and they may even spend some holidays with you.
4. Specific Sugar Land, TX Knowledge
Before signing up with an attorney, check their credentials and background online. You should be able to find a detailed biography on the law firm’s website, so make sure to have a look at that. Ask yourself whether your potential lawyer has the necessary experience to help you, and what kinds of outcomes they have seen in similar cases.
5. Guidance and Reassurance Throughout
By having an experienced professional by your side, you can eliminate some of that fear and worry. Your lawyer will have been through the process hundreds of times, which allows them to help you prepare. They can also advise you on how to best prepare yourself and what to say. You will have emotional support throughout the whole experience, which can take away a lot of the stress associated with such a large life event.
6. Planning How to Provide for Children
7. Making Changes to the Custody Plan
To speak to one of our experienced family law attorneys, get in touch with us at Skillern Firm now. Matthew Skillern, John Schmude, and the team have years of local experience in child custody cases and will be able to help you figure out the best way forward.