Child Custody

October 8, 2016

Posted by Heidi C. Noll
Posted in Areas of Practice

Do you have questions regarding custody of your child?

Attorney Noll understands firsthand the impact that divorce and parental separation has on children. Ms. Noll works hard to negotiate effective custody arrangements that directly address the best interests of your children. When dealing with child custody or visitation, my clients appreciate the compassionate and supportive atmosphere that I provide to families along with my legal ability and experience. Ms. Noll offers to her clients a working knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and understands how ASD may impact proposed custodial arrangements.

When deciding issues regarding child custody, the courts in Pennsylvania will consider many factors including the preference of the child, the mental and physical health of the parents, the relationship between the child, the parents, and any siblings and a number of other pertinent factors.

Shared Physical and Legal Custody

In Pennsylvania, court standards vary county by county with regards to equally shared legal and physical child custody. In general, the favored approach by most judges is to award some form of shared custody unless there are serious concerns about the well being of the children in this kind of arrangement.

If you are interested in establishing a shared custody arrangement in your divorce, you may wonder why it is necessary to hire an attorney. Even in a relatively amicable situation, it is very possible to make mistakes that can damage your position or lead to a potentially costly and emotionally upsetting dispute in the future. As in many other legal matters, the role of your lawyer in establishing a shared custody arrangement is to see to it that important details are addressed and that each party’s roles and responsibilities are well-defined and set down in the divorce order. In my personal and professional experience, any ambiguity can give rise to future difficulties, no matter how harmonious things seem at the moment.

Sole Legal and Physical Custody

Understanding that courts and child psychologists agree that a shared parenting arrangement is often ideal, there are times in which a child’s interests and well being are best served by one parent maintaining sole custody. In these cases, it is vitally important to seek experienced legal representation from a lawyer who can simultaneously advocate your position and work to protect the well being of your child.