Five Layers Of Child Custody Issues

When you come to a mediation meeting, be open to listening and engage in negotiations. There is no reason for you not to. Unless you want to take all your issues in court and let the judge decide for your faith as a parent, it may be best to go through the mediation process with you family lawyer assisting you through the whole dilemma. Custody mediation is not about blaming whose fault it was that made the marriage fail. Rather, the focus should be on assisting the child to get to a better place, move on with their lives despite the divorce.

The plans for every custody mediation meeting should tailor meet your children’s best interest, compromise where you deem it appropriate. It is useless to walk away from the mediation meeting, only to have the judge or an arbitrator make the decision for you. By then, you won’t have any chance of negotiating or making compromises. All you will be left with is the decision to accept or to suffer the consequences.

The mediator, usually an experienced lawyer in family law, will help determine child custody issues. Usually, the items come in priority, including matters that need to be resolved right away, like the education of the kids and the like. It is always better to categorize issues in the five lawyers of child custody before any form of mediation begins so that couples would be able to prepare their stand on each one.

  • The first lawyer revolves around the regular custody and visitation schedule of the spouse who does not get custody. It is important that couples understand the importance of resolving such issues, especially for their kids to be able to transition well into the new family set-up.
  • The second lawyer includes the exceptions to the regular visitation schedule, such as holidays and vacation trips. These could be further discussed in detail, with hopefully less family issues raised.
  • The third layer is concerned about the communication among couples once the divorce is final. The discussion specifically concerns that of the children and the issues concerning them.
  • The fourth layer is all about special issues specifically the religious affiliation of the children, medical care, private school and other extra-curricular activities the children may choose to engage in.
  • The last layer is the request for a change in the custody agreement in the future. The changes may be required by both parties, with the children’s best interest in mind.