If you are divorcing and you have minor child(ren), ensuring they thrive during and after the divorce is likely your foremost concern. You should work with a Connecticut child custody lawyer who prioritizes your child(ren)’s well-being.
The seasoned family attorneys at Broder Orland Murray & DeMattie LLC understand how challenging parental responsibility matters can be for all involved. They use their deep knowledge and experience to guide you to a custody arrangement that best serves your child(ren).
Legal custody is the authority to make major decisions for your child(ren), such as health, education, and religion. Physical custody refers to the schedule outlining when the children will spend time with each parent, both on a day-to-day basis, as well as for holidays and vacations. The Court’s Order must address both components of custody.
Pursuant to Connecticut General Statute § 46b-56 Courts may Order legal custody be shared jointly by both parents or that one parent have final decision-making authority or sole legal custody. Courts may also Order one parent to have primary physical custody, subject to the other parent’s parenting time. Judges must make legal and physical custody decisions consistent with the child(ren)’s best interests.
Joint legal and shared physical custody are common, but arrangements vary widely between families. Our attorneys are well-versed in the factors Connecticut Judges consider when making child custody determinations. Our attorneys will help you explore all options and craft a Parenting Plan that is in your child(ren)’s best interests.
You can ease your child(ren)’s adjustment to your family’s new dynamic by working cooperatively with your co-parent to create a Parenting Plan. The Plan must include provisions regarding legal custody, as well as a parental access schedule outlining with which parent the child(ren) will stay with. Parenting Plans often contain other provisions regarding transportation arrangements, sharing information and documentation, prohibitions on disparagement, as well as many other parenting-related topics. Even parents who communicate poorly can often agree on a Parenting Plan that works for their family if they prioritize the child(ren)’s needs.
Courts will review any Parenting Plan to which the parties agree, and will approve it and enter it as a Court Order, provided the Judge finds it to be in the child(ren)’s best interests.
Our attorneys are well-versed in Connecticut Parenting Plans and understand how Judges evaluate them. We could assist you in negotiating an agreed upon Parenting Plan, whether it is with among you and your co-parent, through counsel, or during the Mediation process. Negotiating a Parenting Plan allows you and your co-parent to retain control and helps ensure that your child(ren)’s needs are met.
When parents cannot agree on custody matters, a Judge must make a decision after a Hearing or Trial. The Judge may appoint a neutral third party to make a recommendation as to an arrangement that serves the child(ren)’s best interests.
A Guardian ad Litem (GAL) is typically an attorney or mental health professional appointed by the Court to do their due diligence by interviewing the parties, the children, observing the parties and the children together, reviewing various records, and speaking to other collateral sources. After doing so, the GAL will make a recommendation as to a Parenting Plan that supports the child(ren)’s best interests. In some cases where a child is of an appropriate age and maturity level, a Court may even appoint an Attorney for the Minor Child, whose role is to advocate for and protect the child’s interests. When there is a dispute about parental fitness, the Judge may appoint a mental health professional to conduct a forensic custody evaluation, which would also include a recommendation as to what is in the child(ren)’s best interest.
The opinion(s) of these third parties is not dispositive but could provide critical evidence in a litigated custody matter. Our attorneys are here to ensure you understand the role of third parties in a Connecticut child custody proceeding and help you navigate your interactions with them.
When you have minor child(ren), your divorce significantly impacts their future. You can minimize the disruption and ease their adjustment when you work with a skilled Connecticut child custody lawyer at Broder Orland Murray & DeMattie LLC. We prioritize your child(ren)’s needs in divorce matters, so contact us today.
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