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A child custody agreement can be customized

On Behalf of | Apr 30, 2021 | Child Custody And Support |

Children are the top priority of parents. When Missouri parents divorce, they need to iron out many issues, but one of the main ones is that of child custody. Taking the best interests of the children into account, parents must see that their children’s emotional, physical and financial needs are met while also ensuring their children have the tools with which to cope with the divorce. One of the ways of doing that is to fashion a solid co-parenting plan to avoid conflicts.

Types of custody

Some people may not realize there are different types of custody. Physical custody is where the children will live and if they will go between two homes or live full-time in one parent’s home. Legal custody speaks to the authority to make decisions for the children. Will decisions be shared by both parents or will one parent be seeking sole custody in which case that parent becomes the decision-maker? An agreement needs to address the specific needs of the children.

In the event of disagreements

There may be issues upon which parents just cannot agree. For instance, parents may have differing parenting styles. Whatever the dissension is, it could lead to legal problems if parents cannot agree on custody issues. In these cases, it is all right for parents to ask the court to become involved to make those decisions.

If a family court judge is asked to make a child custody decision, he or she will only do so after considering all the important issues. The goal is to make decisions based on what is in the children’s best interests. Before asking for court intervention, it may be best to ask questions about the laws of Missouri to fully understand parental rights.

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St. Louis County Bar Association
Illinois State Bar Association
LEX | The Missouri Bar