Who Gets the Kids? Can Cause Temporary Insanity!
Joseph J. Registrato, Attorney At Law in Florida
It is not an exaggeration to say that taking away somebody's right to make decisions about their children and to spend time with their children is enough to cause temporary insanity. I have seen first hand the trauma that results when you try to take away a person right to parent his or her children.
NO HURTING THE CHILDREN!
That's why we take this issue very seriously. If I believe a child is being abused or neglected or used as a pawn by your spouse, I will do everything the law will allow to make it stop. At the same time, I will withdraw from a case rather than do something that I believe is not in the best interests of a child.
People caught up in the emotions of a divorce frequently can not see that in their quest to "win," they will hurt their children. The best way to describe the problem is to see it from the child's point of view. Children, it is said, believe (accurately) that they are made up of BOTH their parents. And so when a parent talks bad about the other parent, they are actually hurting the part of the child that is the other parent.
Nevertheless, it is a very common for one parent to try every way they can to hurt the other parent. And if it will hurt the other parent to keep the children away from him or her, that is what he or she will do.
Strategy for winning a fight over the children: Give the other side its due.
We bluntly and simply instruct our clients that if they want to gain the higher ground in a proceeding over children, they need to make sure the child has frequent and liberal contact with the other parent. Only when there is a danger of child abuse or neglect is there a reason to deny a parent contact with a child. Even then, the danger presented must be clear and present and there must be evidence to support it.
We fight for our client's rights to parent and spend time with their children. We represent both mothers and fathers. We will not, however, fight for one parent to win a battle to control the children when it is not in the best interests of the child to do so.
We will fight for your right to make decisions concerning your child and to spend time with your child.
We will fight relocation battles whenever it is in the best interests of the child.
We will fight child support matters when appropriate.
Some of the issues we discuss in cases about children are:
- History -- Who has been taking care of the children, who takes them to the doctor and to school, who takes care of them after school, who fixes their meals and puts on the band aids at soccer practice.
- Are the children bonded to both parents?
- Are the children thriving in school and at home?
- Are your children coming into contact with step-parents or others related to your soon to be ex-spouse and how are they getting along?
Free Consultations 24/7
Issues about children come up at all hours of the day and night, on weekends and holidays, and especially on special days, like birthdays, Christmas and Thanksgiving. So we make sure the phone lines are open for the emergencies that inevitably arise. Contact us to schedule your free consultation.
