Spartanburg Child Custody Lawyer

When you and your child’s other parent are divorcing, no longer together, or need a child custody modification, the legal concerns can be challenging. In South Carolina, the state considers a wide range of factors to prioritize the child’s best interests in every custody case.

If you are facing a custody dispute, you must not wait to consult with an experienced Spartanburg child custody lawyer. Our family law attorney at Holland & Usry will seek to resolve custody matters as efficiently and effectively as possible.

What Is Legal Custody?

South Carolina addresses child custody in terms of both physical and legal custody. Legal custody determines how parents will address major parenting choices moving forward, including decisions about a child’s:

School, daycare, or both
Health care and any medical procedures
Religious upbringing
Participation in extracurricular activities

Legal custody can be joint or sole. Shared legal custody can mean making these decisions together, but one parent may have the authority to break a tie. These primary parenting decisions can also be divided between the parents according to category. In comparison, sole legal custody means that one parent will make major parenting decisions on their own.

When it comes to the child’s best interests, the state’s courts presume that both parents should remain very involved in raising their children. A parent’s participation will only be minimized or denied if there is a serious reason to limit their legal or physical custody rights. A Spartanburg attorney from Holland & Usry can help you navigate legal custody issues to ensure the best outcome for you and your children.

What Is Physical Custody?

Physical custody in South Carolina addresses children’s day-to-day living schedule, specifically when they are with one parent or the other. Parents can share physical custody evenly, but sometimes, one parent takes on the primary custody role. This involves having the child most of the time, while the other parent has a visitation schedule. If you need to negotiate primary custody or visitation with your children, seek guidance from a Spartanburg lawyer at our firm.

How Courts Decide What’s in a Child’s Best Interests in Custody Cases

The South Carolina courts consider certain best interest factors when making child custody determinations, including:

A child’s physical, educational, and developmental needs and each parent’s ability to address these
The overall mental and physical health of each child and parent
The preferences of each parent and child, if they are mature enough to weigh in a meaningful way
The depth of the relationship each parent has with the child, and the relationships children have with one another and other important people in their lives, such as grandparents
Each parent’s commitment to co-parenting effectively and supporting the other’s close and ongoing relationship with the child
The suitability of the home each parent can provide, and the distance parents live from one another—over 100 miles from the child’s primary residence can have a bigger impact
How well the current living situation serves the child in terms of home, school, and community
Whether child abuse, child neglect, or domestic violence plays a role in the case

Your parental rights are far too important to leave to chance. Consult with an experienced child custody attorney in Spartanburg early on.

Contact a Spartanburg Child Custody Attorney for Help

Your child custody arrangements determine your future parental rights, which makes them of critical importance. Our Spartanburg child custody lawyer knows the significance of your case and has the experience, legal skill, and drive to make a difference. At Holland & Usry, our dedicated legal team cares about you and your case. Please don’t delay— call our firm today.