Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Child Custody Attorney

The ending of any relationship that resulted in the birth of children is traumatic for the adults as well as the children. Add the stress of divorce litigation, child custody or child support disputes, and these emotions can be magnified many times over. When facing a contested child custody battle, parents sometimes lose sight of the impact of their separation or divorce on their children, and focus on what is in their best interests, not necessarily the best interest of their children. If you are looking for an experienced Pittsburgh child custody lawyer or Pennsylvania divorce lawyer to guide you through the legal and emotional aspects of divorce or child custody litigation, the law offices of Lisa Marie Vari & Associates can help.

Pennsylvania Physical Child Custody Laws

Physical custody is the actual physical possession and control of minor children. Pennsylvania statutes further define physical custody based upon the amount of overnights each party spends with the minor child or children. A parent may have primary physical custody, sole physical custody, partial physical custody, shared physical custody, or visitation. Visitation is the right to spend time with a minor child, but not the right to remove the child from the custodial parent's control. Partial custody is the right to take possession of a minor child away from the custodial parent and may include the right to have overnight custody with the child. Shared physical custody (sometimes referred to as joint physical custody) is the term used to designate frequent and continuing contact between the child and his or her parents and is the term generally used when both parents have almost equal overnight periods of custody. Primary custody is the right of one parent to have the majority of custodial time with a minor child. Sole physical custody is the right of one parent to have custody to the complete exclusion of the other parent; sole custody is rarely ordered by the court.

Pennsylvania Legal Child Custody Laws

Legal custody is the right to make important decisions that impact minor children including decisions regarding education, religion, and medical care. If the parents are able to cooperate in any minimal fashion, legal custody is often shared between the parents. Under a shared legal custody arrangement, the parent who has physical custody on a given day makes routine day-to-day decisions impacting the minor children and the parties share the responsibility for making major decisions when they arise.

How is custody decided in Pennsylvania courts?

Obviously, the best case scenario is for parents to come to an agreement on what type of custody schedule would serve the best interests of their child or children. If the parents are unable to agree on a custodial arrangement for their minor children, then Pennsylvania courts must step in and apply Pennsylvania child custody laws. When deciding issues regarding physical or legal custody, family courts in Pennsylvania will consider the best interests of the minor children which may include:

• Consideration of any prior custody arrangements including the amount of time each parent has spent with the child in the past
• The involvement of each parent in the child's education, religion and medical care
• Whether there are other siblings or half-siblings in either parent's residence
• The child's preference if the child can articulate a justifiable reason for the preference
• The school district where each party resides and the distance between the parents' residences
• Whether either parent has attempted to undermine the other parent's custody rights
• Whether the parents are able to cooperate with each other regarding issues involving the child

Contact our Pittsburgh Child Custody Lawyers for a Consultation

Whether dealing with child custody or child support issues, the child custody lawyers at the law offices of Lisa Marie Vari & Associates are committed to providing prompt, caring, and compassionate service to each of our family law clients. Some of the child custody issues we handle include:

• Physical custody, primary physical custody, sole physical custody, partial physical custody, shared physical custody, and visitation cases
• Legal custody, shared legal custody, and sole legal custody
• Step parent adoption and stepparent custody or step-parent visitation
• Child custody relocation hearings also called "Gruber" or "Plowman" hearings
• Grandparent visitation rights including grandparent custody, partial physical custody, or visitation with minor grandchildren
• Marriage settlement agreements or other agreements that include child custody and child support provisions
• Court-appointed psychological evaluations and home studies
• Child support orders, child support enforcement, and child support modification

Whether you refer to us as your Pittsburgh child custody attorney, Pennsylvania child custody lawyer, or as an advocate for your children's bests interests, our team of Pennsylvania child custody lawyers and support staff is ready to assist you with your Pennsylvania family law matter. Our Pennsylvania custody lawyers and support staff welcome custody, divorce and family law clients who reside in Pittsburgh as well as clients from other cities, states and countries. From our convenient office locations in the Pittsburgh and Whitehall sections of Allegheny County, our team of Pennsylvania child custody attorneys are available to represent clients with custody issues throughout Western Pennsylvania. Appointments may be available by telephone if you reside outside of the Allegheny County area. We offer free initial consultations or paid consultations depending upon your legal needs.

Our office is familiar with the unique legal needs of active duty soldiers and sailors. As a thank you for service to our country, our office offers a free initial consultation to active duty members of the military.