Portland Child Custody & Visitation
Attorneys Dedicated to Handling Child Custody & Visitation Cases in Oregon
Child Custody & Visitation Overview
Child custody is a legal term that is defined as the physical and legal arrangement and relationship a parent has with his or her child. When parents are no longer involved in a relationship with one another, they will have to decide upon several important issues. One of those issues is child custody. In cases where parents are not able to unite and work out a child custody arrangement, the Oregon family courts will have to get involved, and a judge will decide upon the custody of the children involved. Before a judge will make a decision pertaining to the custody of a child, he or she will want to review many factors, such as:
- the age and sex of the child
- the child’s physical and emotional health
- the child’s wishes
- the child’s current living arrangement and daily schedule
- the parents’ incomes
- the parents’ history and relationship with the child
- the parents’ ability and willingness to provide for the child’s daily needs
- the parents’ ability and willingness to protect the child’s well-being
In cases where custody is awarded to one parent, and custody is not shared, the non-custodial parent has the right to request visitation. In Oregon, parents have “reasonable visitation”. Visitation rights allow parents to see and spend time with their children on a regular basis, as approved by the courts. Parents can work together to decide upon a reasonable visitation schedule. In cases where parents are having visitation disputes, the court will order a visitation schedule and visitation guidelines.
Portland, Oregon Child Custody & Visitation Attorneys
Parents who are dealing with family law matters like child custody and visitation will find it beneficial to work closely with a knowledgeable Portland family lawyer. A family law attorney can help parents with mediation, child custody conflict resolution, and visitation arrangements. Additionally, if the matter should escalate to the family courts, a Portland child custody attorney can provide aggressive representation and valuable counsel.
If you need assistance with a child custody or visitation matter in Portland, contact one of our committed Oregon child custody lawyers!