When a couple decides to get divorced, they expect the judge to review the agreement to divide the marital assets. They may not be ready to hear how much power the judge has when it comes to raising their children. It is the judge who ultimately decides which parent is best to raise the children or if the couple is able to make joint custody work. Therefore each parent will need to hire a Child Custody Attorney in Johnson County, KS to make sure that their voice is heard. Ultimately the judge can only do what he finds is in the best interest of the child.
A lawyer from the Gilby and Haynes law firm will ensure that the judge knows that their client is a good and stable parent. It is no longer the case, that judges assume that it’s in the best interest of the children that the mother raise them and the father pay both child support and alimony. Fathers now may seek sole custody and expect the mother to pay child support. Child custody agreements are not cast in stone either. After the divorce is finalized the judge can continue to monitor the behavior of the parents. Today’s blended families pose special challenges for family-law judges.
A father may object to a boyfriend and his teenage son moving into the home with his pre-teen daughters. If he hires an investigator and finds a criminal record pertaining to the father or son, his child custody attorney in Johnson County KS may ask the court to intervene. The mother may have to choose between her boyfriend and losing custody of her children. On the other hand, the father cannot object just because he thinks there might be a problem. When the children are small, it may be hard for them to voice their opinions, but as they get older, they will be able to tell the judge what they believe is in their best interest. It can be a painful experience when the child demands that the custody agreement be changed. The judge will monitor the custody agreement until the child is 18.
