In today’s society, gender equality is a major factor affecting child custody and support issues. At the present time, recent changes in the marital property market, increased involvement of fathers in the day-to-day child rearing, and increased dual-career households are having a major impact on child custody and support decisions. Clients should retain a skilled family lawyer who is familiar with current litigation trends and can give them effective advice on how to best approach their situation.
Custody of Minors Pending Divorce: If a minor’s parent has not had custody of them since the birth or early years of their lives, the state will have jurisdiction over their affairs. For example, the state may appoint a legal guardian to handle minor children’s welfare when a parent is unable to do so. A judge’s order will dictate what kind of custody is awarded. The courts will consider a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the minor’s relationship with the minor’s parents, the minor’s interests and preferences, the minor’s ability to care for themselves, and whether the minor is in danger of neglecting or abuse by the other parent.
Family Lawyers has several services that they can provide you with to assist you with your custody and support needs. First, a family lawyer can review your case to ensure that it meets certain standards of law. They can also advise you on how best to proceed in court. Family lawyers also help their clients prepare for a child custody and support hearing in preparation for this important proceeding.
Child Support payments: Most parents, upon divorce proceedings, must pay child support to their former spouse. Child support is determined by a formula based on how much the child earns and the amount the non-custodial parent would pay if they had to make support payments. Parents should work out an agreement with the custodial parent to come to an arrangement regarding who should pay for the child support payments and what percentage will be covered by the non-custodial parent.
Parents who have a disagreement about who should pay child support payments may seek legal help from a lawyer. In most cases, however, the courts will require both parents to jointly make child support payments. after the divorce is final. A family lawyer can represent clients who are seeking more favorable child support arrangements than the court may offer.
In some states, the parties involved may be able to reach an agreement concerning who will pay child support payments. In other states, it is a court ordered situation where the non-custodial parent pays the majority of the child support.
Spousal Support: Spousal support is typically ordered by a judge after divorce. The court establishes a predetermined amount that a custodial parent is responsible for paying to a spouse who has been awarded joint physical custody of the children. This court ordered payment is often referred to as spousal support.
If you are facing a contested divorce or have already decided to file a claim for divorce, contacting a family lawyer is a great way to gain legal assistance in terms of child custody and support issues. Family lawyers are familiar with child support issues and can provide you with legal advice that can help you decide which course of action is best for you and your child.
Once the case is finalized, parents are expected to make their child support payments on a regular basis to their respective custodial parents. Once you have established a financial agreement, it becomes very difficult for a non-custodial 
parent to stop paying. If this happens, you may have to take steps to get a temporary restraining order against the custodial parent to stop the child support payments.
If you are not familiar with the process of making payments, it is recommended that you hire a family lawyer to assist you with this important issue. An attorney can provide you with the resources you need to navigate the system in the court.
When you hire a family attorney, he or she will also work with the court to establish a payment schedule that can help to keep you in line with your child support payments. Your family lawyer will work closely with the custodial parent to come to an agreement regarding who should pay your child support, in many cases, it is not possible for the custodial parent to pay full or even part of the support.