Protecting children during child custody proceedings

In the aftermath of divorce, many but not all parents want to take custody of their children whether they are in Maine or in California. Parents who want custody will often do whatever they can to get it, even if it means portraying the other parent as unfit for custody. Unfortunately, parents who do this are not paying attention to how their actions are affecting their children. The more parents battle and disagree with one another, the worse the emotional impact on their children.

These emotional effects are the principal reason why child custody is often hard for courts to address. Our Orange County family law firm understands the challenge this presents for parents and judges alike. Fortunately, time and experience and keeping abreast of current information on the effects of parental separation and divorce on children has helped us develop strategies that can resolve child custody issues without emotionally damaging children. We start by evaluating our clients’ circumstances and then identifying ways to minimize difficulties between parents that make resolving custody issues more difficult. We also listen to what children have to stay about their parents’ separation.

The focus of our legal guidance is on protecting children’s interests as well as both parents’ rights. As a legal process, child custody identifies those rights as well as the parents’ responsibilities after the divorce is finalized. We also pay attention to children’s needs, especially when children will continue to be raised by both parents.

Meeting the best interests of children is the goal for resolving all child-custody disputes. Even though both parents have their own ideas about raising their children, they should remember that their priority should be their children’s well-being, not the other way around. Fortunately, family stress and damage can be reduced if both parents remain involved in their children’s lives.