Family Law

Child Support Attorney: Issues Relating to Visitation and Payment

When couples divorce, often the first thing to become pressing is who will get custody of the kids and how they’ll go about ensuring that their children receive the financial and emotional support they need. If you’re going through such an event, you definitely want an experienced child support attorney working for you, fighting for your rights. Child support laws vary from state to state and can often be difficult to navigate, especially for the divorcing parents. An experienced lawyer will know all of the applicable laws and procedures relating to child support and how they might impact your case. Also, if you’ve already hired an attorney, he or she may be able to review your case and make suggestions on moving forward that will ensure you get the very best results. For more details about child support law, visit www.stlouisdivorcelawyers.net/child-support/.

Child Support Attorney

 

One of the first factors that courts consider when deciding on child support is what type of custody arrangement would work best for the children. The court may require joint custody or a single parent paying for the children. In some cases, a parent may have to give up their job in order to pay for the child support. A St. Louis child support attorney can help you navigate these situations and work to find a solution that is right for you and your family.

 

Even after a parent has been awarded joint or sole custody, sometimes a judge can impose extra visitation rights and responsibilities on the non-custodial parent. This can mean additional financial obligation on the part of the non-custodial parent. Again, a St. Louis child support attorney can help you determine if you are being treated fairly or if you simply don’t understand the details of your custody agreement. There may also be consequences for not meeting certain obligations, such as having to pay additional child support.

 

There are also times when a court order is called for that is not really specified in the custody agreement or a paternity ruling. These examples include when a father is given custody of a child following a criminal investigation or when a man has been charged with rape or murder. A St. Louis family lawyer can help you deal with these types of cases, as well as those that result from paternity issues or identity issues. He or she will be familiar with court procedures and child support cases in St. Louis Missouri. He or she will know how to fill out the proper forms and what information to include, and will be able to advise you on your rights and what documentation you need in order to secure those rights.

 

Court orders for child support payments are most often established by the custody court. If the parents aren’t married, then the custody court will order an unmarried mother to make payments to her child’s father. If the parents are married, then the court will order the father to make payments to the mother. In either case, a St. Louis family lawyer will be able to help you get the payments you deserve.

 

There are some circumstances where you might not be able to establish full-time visitation and must move forward in the matter with only physical custody as a factor in determining child support. For instance, if a parent has been diagnosed with a terminal illness and is expected to die shortly after the child is born, his or her income will be taken into account when determining child support. In this situation, the court will want medical documentation that details the illness, and will consider the income of the dying parent as a factor in determining how much to pay. If the illness occurs later in life, then the court will consider the earning capacity of each parent, and will adjust the amount of alimony payments accordingly. The st. louis child support attorney will help you through these difficult situations.