Beaver County Child Custody Lawyer

What Can Affect Custody?

Factors that can affect or limit a parent’s custody or visitation rights include:

• Drug/alcohol abuse by the parent
• The parent’s criminal background
• A history of mental, physical, and/or sexual abuse by the parent
• The reckless lifestyle of the parent
• Living conditions where the children will stay
• The parent’s ability to provide for the child financially

If none of these or any other extreme factors are present, the courts typically grant primary custody to one parent while awarding visitation to the other parent.

These factors face additional scrutiny with the passing of Kayden’s Law. Our Family Law Attorneys will review your case and defend you in the event of false accusations or retaliatory Protection From Abuse filings.

In Pennsylvania, a Child Custody Order is a legal document that outlines the rights and responsibilities of each parent regarding the care and custody of their child or children. These orders are crucial in ensuring that the best interests of the child are considered and that both parents play an active role in the child’s life. 

In most situations, both parents share legal custody of the child(ren) and one parent is chosen for physical custody. This ensures both parents have a say in the significant decisions regarding the child(ren)’s lives.

Primary Factors in Determining Child Custody

When it comes to determining child custody, the court looks to the best interests of the child. As such, the question of who will be awarded custody is largely determined based on the facts of each case before the court. The court will carefully evaluate many factors such as:

• The child’s wishes
• The health of the parents
• Domestic violence
• Parenting skills
• Drug or substance abuse
• Stability and quality of the parent’s living environment
• The parents’ work schedules
• Location of any siblings
• The willingness and ability to support the child’s relationship with the other parent

Custody may not necessarily be granted to a child’s parent if they are unavailable or unsuitable. In these and other such situations, stepparents, grandparents, and other family members may also seek and potentially be granted custody of a child.

The Importance Of Experienced Counsel

The experience, dedication, and knowledge level of your attorney can make all the difference when it comes to navigating the tricky and sometimes costly waters of a custody battle. If you find yourself in such a dispute, you can contact us.

For our family law and divorce attorneys, the protection of parents’ rights and the preservation of the children’s best interests are always job number one. Our dedicated, experienced child custody lawyers have a proven ability to achieve top-notch results for our clients.

We also help address child support and the other issues that affect parents in divorce or separation.

Child Custody / Support Modification

Sometimes the Child Custody or Support order that once worked perfectly for both parents and the child(ren) becomes unsuitable for any number of reasons. Our Beaver County Child Custody attorneys can help you file for a Child Custody Modification Order.

Some reasons for a Child Custody / Support Modification can include:

• Relocation
• A change in child(ren)’s needs
• A change in custodial parent’s living condition
• Criminal Offenses including child abuse or familial violence
•  A new step-parent or sibling
• Instability in the home

What To Do Now:

We welcome your questions and want to understand your situation to help you move forward and achieve the peace of mind that comes with having everything done properly and efficiently. Call our law office at (412) 690-0225 with questions, and a description of your situation to see if we can assist, or schedule a consultation. Or, you may simply fill out the form above on this page. Your form will be directly emailed to our office, and you can expect a reply within one business day and often within hours the same day. All information you share is confidential.