Children and Divorce: The Most Important Issues
Your children will always be your children, whether or not you are married to or live with their other parent. Nevada courts expect parents to contribute to their children's financial, physical and emotional needs regardless of the parents' marital status.
The family law attorneys of Bellon & Maningo, Ltd., in Las Vegas, provide compassionate and effective legal services to parents who are divorcing as well as to those who were never married to their children's other parent. They can help you navigate all the legal issues involving children, including child custody and support, visitation, paternity and relocation.
Legal Custody
As long as both parents are competent, they will most likely be awarded joint legal custody of their children. This gives them both the right to make important decisions about their child's education, health care and religious upbringing. Both maintain access to school records and can receive health information from any and all medical providers.
Physical Custody
Physical custody, which determines where the child lives, comes in various forms. Primary physical custody means the child lives the majority of time with one parent and the other parent has a schedule for visitation or parenting time.
Joint physical custody means the child's time is split 50-50 between the two parents' households. A relatively new category, called joint but unequal custody, refers to a time share arrangement that is close to, but not exactly, an equal custody arrangement. Four days with one parent and three with the other would be considered an example of joint but unequal custody.
The child custody and support lawyers at Bellon & Maningo will help you negotiate, mediate or litigate an arrangement that works for you and your family.
Child Support
The amount of child support you will pay or receive is determined to a great extent by your physical custody arrangement and the correlating formula or caselaw. The calculation is based on the number of children you have and your gross monthly income. Bellon & Maningo can help you determine what you should pay or receive in child support. They also can represent you if child support needs to be modified after the divorce, due to a significant loss or gain in income, or a change in your custody status.
If you need a lawyer who has the strength, compassion and experience to get results for you and your children, contact Bellon & Maningo. Call 702-997-6042 or e-mail the firm to arrange a consultation about your child custody and support concerns.
