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Child Custody Lawyer in Peace River

There’s no two ways about it, divorce is stressful for everyone involved. For many couples, deciding on child custody is the worst part. The emotional strain can tear a family apart. That’s why it’s important to have a good child custody lawyer on your side.

Verhaeghe Law Office has been serving families in Peace River for many years. As an expert in family law and child custody, Verhaeghe Law Office should be your top choice for legal services. We always put your interests first and will get you the settlement you deserve.

What is Child Custody?

Child custody is the legal term that Canadian divorce law uses to refer to the responsibility to make decisions for your child. There are several different types of child custody. Each type of custody arrangement imposes different limits on what each parent can do.

In normal circumstances the parents will agree on what kind of custody they want. However, it’s always important to have a child custody lawyer who will ensure that everything goes smoothly. In instances where the parents cannot agree on custody the local court will decide what action ought to be taken.

What is Joint Custody?

Joint custody is an arrangement in which both parents have rights over the decisions that affect the child’s life, the most important ones being health and education. In a typical joint custody arrangement, the child will have a primary residence with one of the parents. The primary residence is used for registration in school and for health care. In many cases, joint custody is arranged so that each parent has the child at 50% of the time. In other cases, one parent may have the child most of the time and the other has access.

Joint custody also means that both parents need to live close to the child. Because of this, joint custody makes it difficult for one parent to decide to move. This arrangement requires a lot of communication between each party. If a judge believes that effective communication and cordial agreements between the parents are impossible, they might deny them joint custody.

What is Shared Custody?

Shared custody is an arrangement in which the child will spend 50% of their time with one parent and 50% with the other. There will often be a parenting plan that sets out a schedule for the parents. A good parenting plan is an important factor in court decisions on child custody. This type of arrangement is usually set up with joint custody as well, so that each parent has a stake in decisions that affect their child.

What is Sole Custody?

Sole custody means that one parent has full custody over the child. The other parent may still have access and visitation rights. In most cases this will include things like staying over on weekends, celebrating birthdays, vacation, meeting teachers, etc.

Giving access to the parent that does not have custody is a priority for Canadian courts. Giving the child access to both parents is considered an important part of childhood development and is taken very seriously in family law.