Changes to a family’s structure can be difficult and emotional. Whether it’s divorce, annulment, child custody or parental rights, dealing with any of these situations is exhausting and devastating. When children are included in any of these situations, it is important to have an attorney specializing in family law as an advocate for the children, ensuring their outcome is the best it can be. Jason White & Associates near Pleasant Grove are experts in Utah family law. Regardless of the situation you or a loved one is facing, let our team be an advocate for you and your family.
Child Custody
Child custody cases are settled based on the welfare of the child or children involved. Determining what that means for the child can be a difficult conclusion to reach. Determining factors that mediators and the Utah courts look at include:
- Environmental security
- Quality of schools in the area
- Caregiver’s capability to provide food, shelter, clothing and medical care
- Love and emotional connection between child and parent
- The physical and mental well-being of the child and the parents
- Lifestyle and social components
- The child’s age and gender
Custodial Arrangements
- Legal Custody: Is the rights to make decisions about a child’s rearing. There are many factors to this, including; education, religion, medical care, and discipline. Legal custody can be awarded to an individual parent or jointly.
- Physical Custody: The ability for a parent to have a child living with them. Most Utah courts will award joint custody. However, the time-split allotments may vary beyond 50/50.
- Joint Custody: This will allow both parents to coordinate their schedules and share decision making responsibilities.
- Sole Custody: Sole custody arrangements award one parent total custodial rights, allowing the other party visitations only.
- Bird’s Nest Custody: This arrangement allows the children to reside in the familial home and the parents alternate between who lives in and provides full child care.
Mediation
Family law mediation can help smooth over disagreements and reach successful arrangements for everyone involved. This also can aid in avoiding difficult and timely trials and save on costly court fees. An impartial third party works with the parents to come to an agreement. Although helpful, not all outcomes with mediation are legally conclusive.
Protective orders
If you are divorcing due to physical or verbal abuse, you can defend yourself and your children with protection and restraining orders from Jason White & Associates. These orders keep your abuser a designated distance away from you, so your family can feel safe. Though a protective order cannot fully eradicate the possibility that someone cause you harm, it will enable you to call the police and have the abuser arrested should they breach the mandatory guidelines of the order.
Child Support
Child support is a pre-determined amount of money, usually paid monthly to the spouse who has primary custody of the child. These funds are designed to provide for necessities like food, medical care costs, housing, clothing, and educational costs. The Utah courts use a calculator, factoring the income of both parents to decide on child support amounts. As a parent’s income fluctuates this point can be addressed repeatedly over a course of time.
Parental Rights
Parental rights refer to the entitlement of a parent to make decisions about a child’s education, healthcare and religion. You are only accountable for your children’s actions until they are 18 years of age. Determining parental rights and accountabilities can be difficult in Utah County, especially when it involves parent liability of any criminal conduct of a child, let an attorney with Jason White & Associates help you through this.
Adoption
Adoption has many sides. Typically looked as a way begin or grow your family, adoptions also involve the dissolution of parental rights. Allow an attorney from Jason White & Associates serving Pleasant Grove to guide your family through this process. We can ensure a legal, safe and loving environment for all parties involved in adoption, whether you’re a married couple, or single individual.
Contact Us
If you need a child custody or family law attorney in the Pleasant Grove area, call Jason White & Associates to schedule an appointment today.
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