Brookline Custody Lawyer
Child Custody: Corporal Punishment
In child custody litigation, parents are under a microscope. But the court isn’t the only one watching you closely. Your ex is paying close attention too. Your ex may be willing to tell the court anything that brings your integrity as a parent into question, especially the use of corporal punishment.
Although Pennsylvania permits the use of corporal punishment, the standard for deciding custody cases is “the best interests of the child,” which includes the child’s physical and emotional health. Accusations of excessive or extreme corporal punishment are given weight.
In cases where the scales weigh equally in favor of each parent, excessive corporal punishment may tip the scales out of your favor. If you are engaged in a child custody dispute, you should avoid using corporal punishment.
Sending your child back to the other parent with a mark caused by spanking could have disastrous results on your child custody case.
To speak with an experienced child custody lawyer, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Custody: Relocation
When parents of minor children separate or divorce, their ability to relocate to a new residence may be restricted.
Parents must either get the other parent’s approval or obtain permission from the court in order to relocate.
The judge considers many factors when making the decision on whether to grant the relocation request, including the child’s preference, the age of the child, and the reason for moving. Ultimately, the parent who wants to move must convince the judge that moving will be in the child’s best interest.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate representation in child custody cases. We handle all child-custody matters, including trials, drafting agreements, and relocation hearings. Call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Promoting Love for Both Parents Helps Children
According to family therapists, the worst thing is for children to feel torn. The message you need to give your children is that it is safe to love both parents, not that your child cannot love one parent because the other will be upset.
Children who are forced to take sides will feel torn, lost and angry. Children have to learn to evaluate each parent based on how he or she treats the child, not on what the parents think of each other.
To speak with an Allegheny County family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Custody in Allegheny County (Part 2 of 7)
In Allegheny County, any person involved in a child custody dispute must enroll in Generations, an alternative dispute resolution program that includes an educational seminar and mediation session. To learn about the educational seminar, please click here.
The custody mediation session gives parents an opportunity to meet with a trained mediator to address issues related to meeting their child(ren)’s needs and to finalize a custody arrangement. Neither children nor attorneys participate in the mediation. Parents meet with a mediator for about two hours to discuss approaches to a successful parenting plan.
The goal of mediation is for parents to create their own custody plan, called a Memorandum of Understanding. Mediation is not therapy and does not include legal advice. Rather, the mediation process encourages adults to work together and to be responsible for their own parenting decisions.
Mediation sessions are confidential. The discussions during mediation cannot be recorded or copied. The mediator cannot be required to testify in court. Mediators are often attorneys or mental health professionals with advanced degrees, in addition to having basic and ongoing advanced training in mediation.
To speak with an experienced Allegheny County child custody attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.