Child custody in Pennsylvania is a primary divorce concern that can also standalone outside of marriage and divorce. The matter breaks down into both legal custody, or decision-making authority, and physical custody, or parenting time. Discuss your case with our experienced Pennsylvania child custody attorney at The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull today.
Physical Custody and Legal Custody
In a child custody case, both physical and legal custody must be determined. Physical custody sets the parenting time schedule. In contrast, legal custody determines how you and your ex will resolve important parenting decisions about topics like the following:
- School and daycare
- Health care
- Extracurriculars
Physical custody sets the schedule that determines which overnights the children will spend with one parent or the other.
All child custody decisions are based on the involved children’s best interests. Whenever possible, the parents share both legal and physical custody, but not necessarily equally. Spending a significant amount of time with both parents is ideal, but one parent may take on the primary custodial role. Additionally, one parent’s legal and physical custody can be seriously limited if there is a serious reason for doing so.
Pennsylvania Courts Consider Best Interest Factors
When Pennsylvania courts are called upon to make child custody decisions, they carefully consider the big picture, and they base their rulings on what’s best for the children. Every case must be evaluated in relation to the unique circumstances that apply, and each of the following best interest factors can play a role:
- The children’s needs, including any special needs and future needs, and each parent’s ability and commitment to adequately address these needs
- The likelihood that each parent will ensure the children’s safety, including protecting them from neglect or abuse.
- Each parent’s commitment to supporting the other parent’s close, healthy, and ongoing relationship with the children
- Each parent’s level of involvement with raising the children to date
- The distance that the parents live from one another and from the children’s schools
- Each parent’s ability and commitment to being effective co-parents, which includes minimizing and managing conflict
- The matter of maintaining close relationships with extended family members and between the children themselves
- Each parent’s employment schedule and their ability to be there for the children
- Any issues related to child abuse or neglect
- The preferences of those children who are considered developmentally prepared to weigh in
Protecting your child custody rights is key, and a trusted child custody lawyer has the legal insight and experience to make a difference in how your claim is resolved.
Reach Out to Our Experienced Pennsylvania Child Custody Lawyer Today
Dawn K. Gull is a dedicated Pennsylvania child custody attorney at The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull who welcomes the opportunity to help you resolve your case favorably with terms that work well for you and your children. For more information about what we can do to help, please don’t delay contacting us online or calling our firm at 412-440-5718 today.