Blended Families Need Child Custody Attorneys
The landscape of families is changing. Many families today are blended, meaning they consist of two parents and the children that each brings into the relationship. If you opt to divorce, this can create a complex situation.
Here's why you should hire a custody attorney if you are in a blended family.
First, What Is a Blended Family?
The first thing you need to understand is the concept of a blended family. These families can get complicated when each party has children. It can get especially difficult if you have a child together.
For example, you may have two children from a previous marriage. Your new partner may have one child from a previous marriage. You and your partner may have one child together.
So, what happens if you split up? What happens with custody of the children? What happens if you adopted your spouse's child? These are all matters an attorney needs to help you through.
Custody of Shared Children
One of the biggest struggles with divorcing in a blended family is that the children will be split up. As a step-parent who did not adopt the other children, you have no legal rights to them. However, the child you made together deserves to have access to siblings.
So, you need to put together a parenting plan in writing that determines who has custody of the children and when. If you can work with your lawyers to plan for your respective children to be all together at the same time, this can preserve the sibling relationships as much as possible.
Adoption Matters
What happened if you did adopt your spouse's child from another marriage? This can actually simplify matters because you are deemed a legal parent to the child. This means you have the same right to the child as a biological parent would have had.
Of course, you may have adopted the child during happier times, which means your spouse might try to fight custody. If you have legally adopted the child, this will work in your favor. This still means you should work with an attorney to ensure you have everything in line to secure custody.
Contact a Child Custody Attorney
You should take the steps to contact a child custody attorney as quickly as possible. You need somebody to help you navigate the many complexities that exist with custody cases. Call an attorney today to make your appointment with a professional who understands life's challenges.
For more information, visit a website like https://www.molnarlaw.com.