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Lafayette LA Child Custody Lawyer

Few areas are as emotionally draining as those involving custody of children. Our children are precious and the thought of “losing” them, frightening. To make matters worse, there are numerous stories that are bandied about regarding child custody, and many of them inaccurate.

What to do, who to believe? The answer is – get a lawyer whose primary areas of practice are in family law and understands child custody issues.

Whether divorced or not, when the parties are no longer together, child custody is an issue.  The basic rule in Louisiana is “the best interests of the child” but things are rarely as simple as the phrase might suggest.

Where will the children live and when? Who decides. What about their medical care, their education, their extracurricular activities? How are these things determined?

Does Louisiana have joint custody? What does that mean? What, or who, is the domiciliary parent and why is that significant?

Everywhere you turn, questions. It can seem overwhelming. It isn’t and we can help. Joint custody is common in Louisiana, but the application can vary from circumstance to circumstance. The typical approach is to prepare what is called a “plan of implementation” which is a written document that, ideally, lays out all of the terms regarding custody. We can help you with this.

What about sole custody? Is that still possible? Yes, though it usually requires exceptional circumstances.

What about non-parents? Can a non-parent, such as a relative (a grandparent for example) seek custody or visitation? The answer to these Grandparents’ rights is “perhaps” but it depends on the circumstances. Allow us to assist you in answering these questions.

Our child custody lawyer on staff, D. Reardon Stanford, practices in all family law. We will fight for your rights to your children.