Pittsburgh Child Custody Lawyer
Child Custody: Kids Thrive In Routines
Between school life and home life, children of divorce need the consistency of a routine. The day-to-day life of a child is important to their overall development, and studies show that having structure at home is linked to academic success.
Having a routine can also help a child maintain a sense of normalcy despite the chaos of divorce.
Maintaining a set homework time and bedtime are two routines that can provide normalcy to a child.
In addition to routine, hiring an experienced divorce attorney can help you create a child custody plan that works for your family.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law, including: divorce, child custody, child support, and PFA hearings. To speak with an experienced family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
PFA Orders Restrict Child Custody Rights
Q: I was served with a PFA. Can I see my kids?
A: Please review the PFA order closely. There is a section in the PFA that addresses your child custody rights while the order remains active.
In many cases, the order states that the defendant shall have no contact with their minor children until the PFA is resolved. This may occur even if the allegations of abuse do not involve the children.
In other cases, the PFA order will allow contact with the children on a limited basis, including by phone or in person if arranged by a third party.
You must follow the PFA order. If you are accused of violating the PFA even by having non-threatening contact, you may face arrest and criminal charges.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law and criminal defense with a special focus on domestic violence and child custody. To schedule a consultation, call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Protecting Kids In Divorce
Divorce can be one of the most difficult challenges in a person’s life. You are learning to cope with a divided family, and you may harbor ill feelings toward your ex-spouse.
As tempting as it may be, it is important to never vent about your ex-spouse to your children. Consider reserving those feelings for friends or counselors.
Remind yourself that the issues between you and your ex-spouse are between the two of you.
Avoid putting your children in the middle of conflict and making them feel as though they have to choose sides.
Spivak Law Firm provides strong, compassionate, cost-effective representation in all family law matters. Call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Custody Trial Tips
Courts make custody decisions in the best interests of the children, which typically means judges are looking at which parent is best fit to meet the children’s day-to-day needs.
It’s not enough to tell the court that your ex never does anything for the children and is a bad parent.
Rather than spending time listing out all of the things your ex never does for the children, devote the majority of your time to presenting yourself as the parent best equipped to meet the day-to-day needs of the children.
If you take the children to school every morning, help them with their homework every night, and get them ready for bed most nights, let the court know.
Sometimes it pays to be positive at child custody trials.
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 Schedules
When a court has ordered shared custody between parents, it can be particularly challenging to alter that joint schedule.
But there are a number of circumstances where a judge may consider changing a custody schedule, including, when you or your ex:
- Attempt to alienate the child from the other parent;
- Repeatedly denigrate the other parent to the child;
- Are charged or convicted with a crime;
- Are incarcerated;
- Are investigated by Children Youth and Families (CYF);
- Abuse drugs or alcohol, or;
- Relocate outside of the county.
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 and School
School placement for children during and after a divorce can be a very contentious topic between spouses.
If you are contemplating changing schools or districts for your child during a custody case, it is imperative that you either agree that the child will change schools or bring the issue in front of the court as early as possible.
Under Pennsylvania law, relocation is any change in residence of the child which significantly impairs the ability of the non-relocating parent to exercise custodial rights. It is up to a judge to determine whether a move qualifies as “significantly impairing.”
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law and child custody, including: drafting custody orders and litigating custody trials and relocation hearings.
To speak with an experienced family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
3 Tips for Co-Parenting
As an intact family, you and your partner work together to raise your children.
But when parents separate, the family dynamic may change dramatically as parents now lead separate lives while still having to work together.
Here are three tips for keeping conflict to a minimum:
- Try to forgive your ex-spouse
- Address areas of potential conflict as they arise
- Follow your custody order
Keeping your emotions in check will allow you to keep a level head. Remaining upset may cause you to make rash decisions. The last thing you want to do is annoy your judge by repeatedly filing motions in court over frivolous matters.
To schedule a consultation with an experienced family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Custody Tips For Memorial Day Weekend
While holidays offer parents an opportunity for quality time with their children, they also often involve issues such as fitting a vacation around the other parent’s schedule and giving up some time for the other’s sake.
Here are some valuable tips to help you have a great holiday:
- Stick to the plan: If you agreed to a parenting or custody plan, you should try to stick to it as much as possible.
- Plan ahead: Avoid misunderstandings and disagreements about who has the kids by discussing it with your ex in advance.
- Maintain contact: Regardless of whether your child is with you or the other parent, it is vital for the child to stay connected with the parent who is not present.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law, including: divorce, child custody, child support, and PFA hearings.
To speak with an experienced family law attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Custody Schedules
If you and your ex have a child custody order but follow a completely different schedule, you should consider updating your order.
For instance, your order stipulates that you have your children every other weekend, but you and your ex actually share custody of the children on a week on/week off arrangement.
You may think there is no need to update your current order, since you and your ex are following a schedule without issue. But if conflict arises, your ex could revert back to the custody order and withhold the children from you.
Based in Pittsburgh, Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of family law, including: divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support, equitable distribution, and Protection From Abuse (PFA). To speak with an experienced child custody attorney, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Child Custody: Parenting Together
Under Pennsylvania law, the standard for determining child custody schedules is “the best interest of the child.”
Your judge may be hesitant to grant shared custody in high-conflict cases, so it is important to try and work together with the other parent. Demonstrate to the judge that the two of you communicate well enough to facilitate exchanges and ensure the welfare of your child.
Unless there has been a history of domestic abuse, it will also work against your custody case if the judge finds that you discourage your child from fostering a relationship with the other parent. If it is time for the custody exchange and your child does not want to leave, encourage them to go and that they will have a good time.
To speak with an experienced child custody lawyer, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.