Waterbury Child Custody Attorney
Providing Family Law Assistance to Families Across Connecticut
Child custody is often the most fiercely fought matter during a divorce.
Fitzpatrick Santos Sousa Perugini P.C. can offer the strong legal representation
you require to receive fair and favorable results. Our
Waterbury family law lawyers have experience dealing with complex child custody matters in the context
of divorce, separation, domestic violence and finances.
Divorced parents can pursue many different custody options, ranging from
joint physical custody to sole legal custody—all dependent on factors
such as the child’s needs, each parent’s financial situation
and the judge’s ultimate decision. A tough custody battle requires
qualified legal help, which is why you should not wait to contact an attorney
from our office.
Contact Fitzpatrick Santos Sousa Perugini Immediately at (203) 583-8299.
Physical Custody
Physical custody refers to a parent’s right to have a child live
with them. In most situations,
joint physical custody is awarded to parents, as long as they live relatively close to each other.
A child may split the time between the two homes equally or unequally—either
way, it’s considered joint custody.
Sole physical custody may be awarded to one parent if the two do not live relatively close to
each other or if one person is unfit to be a parent, usually because of
financial or alcohol/drug problems. The other parent (noncustodial parent)
has the right to visitation or parenting time, if granted.
Legal Custody
Legal custody deals with the major decisions made about a child, including
education, religion and medical situations.
Sole legal custody gives one parent all of the decision-making power for a child. This is
rarely awarded, unless one parent is seen as extremely unfit.
For the most part,
joint legal custody is granted, which allows both parents to make legal decisions for a child.
Joint legal custody can be awarded even if one parent has sole physical custody.
Customized Custody Agreements
Typically, when parents want to share custody of a child, they will draw
up their own custody agreement outside of court. Agreements are based
on work schedules, school schedules and the needs of the child. They also
arrange for splitting weekends and holidays between the two parents. A
judge will then evaluate the custody agreement reached by both parents
and make a decision.
How Do Courts Decide?
A judge looks at many factors when determining what kind of custody arrangement
is best for a child, including but not limited to:
- Child’s behaviors and needs
- Child’s health
- Child’s relationship with each parent
- Each parent’s ability to understand and meet the needs of the child
- Each parent’s involvement in the child’s life
- Each parent’s stability (financial, residency, drugs, etc.)
- Each parent’s history of abuse
Request a Free Case Consultation Today!
When facing a child custody case, the most important thing you can do is
enlist the help of an experienced family law attorney. At Fitzpatrick
Mariano Santos Sousa P.C., our Waterbury child custody lawyers offer over
a century of combined legal experience. Fighting for your child is a duty
we don’t take lightly and we welcome the opportunity to serve you.
Call us at (203) 583-8299 or contact us online
for a free consultation with one of our professionals.