Child custody is understandably a complicated topic. If you’re in the process of ending your marriage, it’s natural to wonder how your divorce will affect the amount of time you spend with your kids. Considering what’s at stake, it’s wise to discuss your concerns with a child custody attorney. Before you meet with an attorney, the below explanation of custody arrangements in Connecticut will help give you a basic understanding of what to expect.

Your Child’s Best Interests

The most important factor that judges in Connecticut consider before awarding custody is the child’s best interests. Although dozens of factors can ultimately affect the outcome of the proceedings, nothing overrides the importance of the child’s interests. A child custody attorney can help explain how your child’s particular situation will affect the custody decision. Since it’s almost always in a child’s best interests to maintain some kind of relationship with both parents,  joint arrangements are common. Only in rare circumstances will a judge award sole custody to one parent and prohibit visitation by the other. 

Arranging for Flexible Custody

Many divorcing parents don’t realize that while child support is essentially nonnegotiable, custody is fairly flexible. If both parties are willing to compromise, and they can agree on a reasonable arrangement that prioritizes their children's best interests, a judge will likely permit it. Custody cases typically only go to court if the parents reach a stalemate. If you don’t want to end up before a judge, hiring a child custody attorney can help. A seasoned child custody attorney should be able to devise strategic compromises that all parties find favorable. 

If you need a child custody attorney, turn to The Law Office of Gregory G. St. John, LLC in Waterbury, CT. This practice has been helping residents of New Haven and Litchfield counties resolve complicated family law disputes since 2000. With 40 years of experience, their lawyers pride themselves on providing attentive and personalized counsel. They give each and every client a direct means of contact and always respond to inquiries in a timely fashion. To schedule a consultation with a child custody attorney on their team, call (203) 759-0240 or reach out on their website.