Child Custody Lawyer Fernandina Beach, FL

For many divorcing couples, a child custody agreement is the single most important aspect of their divorce proceeding. Custody and Visitation agreements are called "Parenting Plans" The ability to raise your child and make important decisions concerning the child's wellbeing are crucial factors that are determined by the court. Fathers and Mothers have equal rights to co-parent their children and a parent's gender will not block or minimize a parent's rights.

The Law Offices of Gordon N. Shayne fights to protect and secure your rights as a parent, all while helping you protect the best interests of your child in matters of child custody. Due to the fact that child custody concerns are often centered around young children, The Law Offices of Gordon N. Shayne also prioritizes your child's emotional wellbeing each step of the way. When your family chooses us to represent you as your Family Law Attorney, know that we will work to create an effective solution and custody/timesharing agreement that protects the legal rights of all parties involved.

Here are a few key legal principles to keep in mind regarding child custody.

It Is in the Best Interest of Each Child to Maintain a Relationship with Both Parents

As a parent, you may have decided to file for divorce because you believed it was in the best interests of your child and family. Alternatively, other factors may have been the catalyst for divorce, yet arriving at a beneficial child custody agreement is one of your most pressing concerns. Most parents have told me that their children are their #1 concern in the divorce case. This law is designed to incentivize parents cooperating and working together to arrive at a fair child custody agreement that benefits all parties involved.

In some cases, however, a mutual understanding and “meeting of the minds” is not possible. When a cooperative agreement cannot be reached, then the case will need to be resolved in court. Understand that this is not ideal for a few of the following reasons:

• The parenting plan will be determined by someone who does not know your child
• The end result of the parenting plan decided in court is out of your control
• There are no guarantees that the plan will be given the time and consideration it could have been given through cooperative efforts to reach a mutual agreement

Attorney Gordon Shayne is a Florida child custody lawyer who has more than three decades of legal experience helping Family Law clients protect their legal rights. The Law Offices of Gordon N. Shayne will help you secure your parental rights and promote your child's best interests in reaching a custody agreement, whether the Parenting Plan is finalized through mutual cooperation or in court.

Why a Fernandina Beach, FL Child Custody Attorney Is Especially Important for Protecting Your Parental Rights

Even if you have broad hopes that cooperation and a mutually agreed-upon Time-Sharing/Parenting Plan will be possible, you should not try to enter into such a plan without the help of a family law attorney. Contentious points of disagreement will almost certainly arise, and if or when these disagreements come up, you will want to rely on a lawyer's ability to resolve these disputes with fair and creative solutions.

Alternatively, if your Paternity/Child Custody case needs to be decided in court, then the best interests of the child standard must be used to establish evidence of a healthy parental relationship. Some documentation or written evidence can be helpful in custody actions:

• Phone call logs or text messaging that can serve as evidence that there has been continued contact with the child since a separation
• Evidence of visits with the child, including logs of the time, duration and frequency of these visits
• Written statements from others that indicate you have a strong relationship with the child

Another option worth considering for parents who cannot reach a mutual resolution is to request a parenting coordinator who is appointed by the judge in your custody case. Gordon N. Shayne, a child custody attorney in Fernandina Beach, FL helps parents determine whether the child custody case will benefit from requesting a court-approved parenting evaluation. Examples of situations when a court-approved parenting evaluation can prove helpful are:

• Situations where there is evidence of domestic abuse and/or financial control
• A parent has endangered the child's physical health and wellbeing
• The child's emotional development has been harmed or impaired by a parent

Gordon N. Shayne Has Helped Families Through Difficult Divorce and Child Custody Disputes for More Than Three Decades

It is essential to understand precisely what is at stake when you are trying to reach a fair child custody agreement. The Time-Sharing/Parenting Plan you agree to or may be decided in court will establish:

• Who has legal custody of the child
• Where the child's primary residence will be
• The parenting rights each parent will be given
• The amount of time each parent will be allowed to spend with the child

While these agreements can be modified at a later time, a child custody agreement will be a legally binding decision that affects you and your family for the foreseeable future.

Gordon N. Shayne has helped families with their divorce proceedings, child custody disputes and other pressing family law issues for decades. An accomplished child custody lawyer, he commits to utilizing his extensive family law experience to help you reach an agreement that is in the best interest of you and your child.

Protect your parental rights with the help of Gordon N. Shayne. Contact us today for a free* consultation to receive the legal advice and counsel needed to resolve your child custody dispute.

*for those individuals interested in retaining legal counsel and who have the financial means to hire an attorney.