For families dealing with a divorce, we know how stressful and infuriating the situation can be, predominantly when children are concerned. At Jason White & Associates, we provide our expert family law services to residents of Orem, Utah. From prenuptial agreements to child custody, we can assist you through any process. Jason White & Associates has a reputation for winning cases and finding the best settlements.
Child custody
Child custody will always be arranged depending on the best interests of the child and sometimes these decisions are extremely difficult for parents to make.
The best of interest of a child is decided based on the subsequent factors:
- The child’s age, gender, mental and physical health
- Health of parents
- Lifestyle and social elements
- Love and emotional connections between parent and child
- Parents’ ability to produce food, shelter, clothing and medical care
- Quality of schools in location
- Child’s preference if over age 12
- Ability and willingness of parent to foster a good relationship between child and the other parent
- Environmental stability
Types of custody arrangements
- Legal custody: The right and responsibility to make choices about child rearing. This involves education, religion, medical care and discipline. When awarded joint legal custody, parents share these rights.
- Physical custody: The ability of a parent to have a child with him or her. Most courts order joint physical custody, though the time-split is often not the same as 50/50.
- Sole custody: Sole custody settlements provide one parent with total custody rights and allow the other only visitation rights.
- Joint custody: This custody enables parents to coordinate their schedules and share decision-making privileges.
- Bird’s nest custody: This occurs when the child remains in one home and parents interchange in and out of the home and take turns taking care of the child.
Child support
Child support is a prearranged amount of money that is typically paid monthly to the spouse who retains primary custody of the child. Child support is designed for basic needs like food, housing and clothing, health insurance, medical care and educational expenditures. Child support is decided based on each parent’s monthly income and expenses. Based on this financial information and the sum of time each parent spends with the child, the court uses a formula to decide on child support.
Family law mediation
Family law mediation is used to deal with family arguments. With family mediation, an unbiased third-party mediator encourages two parties to reduce their differences as they reach an agreement. Family mediation can save the party’s time and expenditures connected with the trial, but the verdicts may not be legally binding.
Protective orders
If you are divorcing on the grounds of physical or verbal assault, you can defend yourself and your children with protection and restraining orders from Jason White & Associates. These orders keep you severed from the abuser in order to stay safe. Though a protective order can’t fully abolish the prospect that someone will stalk or harm you, it will permit you to contact the police and have the abuser arrested should they violate the conclusive rules of the order.
Parental rights
This typically refers to a parent’s right to make choices concerning a child’s education, health care and religion. Allocating rights and responsibilities can be challenging, specifically when it comes to parental accountability of any mischievous or criminal behaviors of your child. You are only responsible for your children’s actions until they are 18.
Adoption
Are you deliberating adoption in order to start or complete your family? The adoption process near Orem can be long, complex and frustrating, but an attorney from Jason White & Associates can guide your family through it. Whether you’re an expecting mother considering adoption or a parent who desperately wants a child, we can help you come to the best solution.
Call Jason White & Associates Today
If you’re looking for a child custody lawyer near Orem, get in touch with Jason White & Associates to schedule a meeting.
We service the following cities and their surrounding areas: