Child Custody & Support

Current statistics show that almost half of all marriages end in divorce, and nearly a quarter of all children are born to unmarried parents. Unfortunately, this means that many parents will have to negotiate child custody and support arrangements at some point in their lives. While the words “custody” and “support” often make us think of heated in-court disputes, many parties try to lessen the strain on their children by negotiating these matters in a cooperative way.

Typically, one person (the custodial parent) will receive physical custody of the parties’ child or children, while the other parent will be granted partial custody or visitation at specified times. This means that the children live with the custodial parent and spend set amounts of time with the non-custodial parent. Usually both parents share legal custody of their children. “Legal custody” is the term used to describe the right to make decisions on issues such as the children’s education, medical care and religion. To help achieve the best arrangement for you and your children, it is crucial to have a caring, skilled attorney on your side.

You will also need experienced representation when it comes to child support matters. Often, courts will decide that the parent who does not have custody of the parties’ children should pay part of his or her income as child support. To decide how much child support must be paid, the court will look to state guidelines that include the parents’ income levels and the number of children that must be supported. In some cases, the court is able to deviate from the guidelines to award more or less support.

Due to the sheer number of children affected by child support, the state and federal governments take child support enforcement seriously. When a parent fails to pay child support, the state may dip into the parent’s tax refunds, place liens on the parent’s real estate or vehicle, or even place him or her in jail.

At Stampone Law, we understand how challenging child support and custody matters can be. Our caring attorneys will do their best to ensure the most desirable outcome for you and your children. If you are involved in a support or custody case, please do not hesitate to contact us for assistance today.