Boone Child Custody Lawyer

Child Custody Attorney In Boone, NC

When adults with kids separate or divorce, questions can arise concerning child custody. As a parent, you might have concerns about the division of custody and the child’s mental health. At The Jonas Law Firm, P.L.L.C., our attorneys have extensive experience helping parents protect their parental rights. Hiring an experienced Boone child custody lawyer can help you understand all of your child custody options.

When a family breaks apart, it can leave you with worries about your future and your child’s well-being, questions about who will make major decisions about your child’s life, and concerns about where your child will physically reside. Parents raise their children in “The Heart of the High Country,” as Boone is known, and it can be frightening to contemplate such an upheaval. It is often helpful to learn how child custody is determined in North Carolina to better prepare for the legal journey ahead.

The divorce rate in North Carolina is 2.7 percent, which may seem small, but it represents a higher number when taken in context. Parental separation has shown to have negative psychological effects on children. Child custody laws in North Carolina dictate how child custody agreements are filed and enforced.

Filing for Custody in Boone

Either parent can file for custody, regardless of their relationship status. If you are a non-parent, you may wonder if you have any rights to visitation or physical custody. North Carolina General Statute Chapter 50-13.1 guarantees your right to request custody. In these cases, you must prove the parent is unfit or has not acted in the child’s interest. Working with a skilled Boone divorce lawyer ensures that the legal process focuses on the stability of the children involved. Further, you must show that you have a strong relationship with the child. Parents should also try to choose your battles in child custody situations to minimize conflict during the filing process.

Your child custody lawyer can file your claim for you. If the child or parent lives in Boone, you can file the complaint at the Watauga County Courthouse, 842 West King Street, Suite 13, Boone, North Carolina.

Why Hire a Child Custody Lawyer?

When you’re having difficulty agreeing with your child’s other parent about physical custody, visitation, or big decisions like education or religion, it’s time to hire a child custody lawyer. Children grow up quickly, and leaving your time with them up to chance is a risky move.

At The Jonas Law Firm, P.L.L.C., you can let your experienced, skilled lawyer handle the negotiations and filings. Since North Carolina is a mandatory custody mediation state, you’ll want a strategic negotiator on your side. Our Boone child custody attorneys have impressive resumes as former Congressmen, a former North Carolina representative, and a lawyer for the Department of Children and Families in the Child Protective Services Division. Our team can help you work out your parenting plan quickly after a split to ensure your child’s routine remains intact.

We also have decades of family law experience and understand the complicated dynamics and emotions that can arise when families split up. Our support for our communities is only surpassed by our attentiveness, empathy, and preparedness for our clients.

What Is Mandatory Mediation?

North Carolina mandates custody mediation in General Statute 50-13.1. The purpose of mandatory mediation is:

• To relieve any anger between parents who cannot agree on a minor child’s physical custody or visitation
• To develop a child custody agreement that is in the interests of the minor child
• To provide a neutral and non-adversarial setting to meet
• To offer options and give the parties some decision-making capability where possible, for making decisions about the minor child’s custody and visitation
• To reduce the number of appeals of custody cases

Either party may move to dismiss the mediation if there is undue hardship, such as living 50 miles or more away, if a relationship exists between the mediator and a parent, or if there are allegations of alcohol or substance abuse. A Boone child custody lawyer can help keep the non-adversarial aspect of the mediation while still representing your interests.

FAQs

What Is the Biggest Mistake in a Custody Battle?

One of the biggest mistakes to make in a custody battle is to speak poorly of the other parent, especially in front of the child or the court. While facts are welcome in a child custody trial, emotional outbursts disparaging the child’s other parent can negatively sway a judge’s opinion of you. A Boone child custody attorney can guide you through this and other potential missteps.

How Much Does a Child Custody Lawyer Cost In NC?

The cost for a child custody lawyer in North Carolina can vary depending on a variety of factors. These can include:

• Your preferred outcome of the case
• The length of mediation
• How much investigation is necessary
• Whether you go to trial

When you have your initial consultation with an attorney, it’s important to discuss costs and fees.

Who Wins Most Child Custody Cases in North Carolina?

In North Carolina courts, judges do not tend to favor mother or father, but rather the interests of the child. The parent who has done most of the caregiving can often have an advantage. A Boone child custody lawyer can present facts to help support your preferences for child custody and visitation. We can document behavior to show parental involvement and bring witnesses who can demonstrate how you support the child’s interests.

What Do Judges Look for in Child Custody Cases in Mooresville?

Judges look at several factors in child custody cases in Mooresville. Most courts agree that remaining with the parent who has done most of the caregiving is generally in the child’s interest. However, when parents separate, one parent may have more flexibility to support the child. The fewer changes for the child, the better, unless the parents agree that some changes work better for both. The court may also take the child’s choices into account when possible.

Contact a Child Custody Lawyer at The Jonas Law Firm, P.L.L.C.

At The Jonas Law Firm, P.L.L.C., our Mooresville child custody lawyers are professional and compassionate. Some of our clients have described us as “very knowledgeable,” “kind, courteous, and professional,” “honest from the start,” and “caring and compassionate.”

When we take your child custody case, we work with you to understand your hopes for the outcome and how we can achieve them. If you have a child custody case, contact us today to schedule a meeting.

Boone, NC Child Custody Resources

• North Carolina Adoption Laws
• Try to choose your battles in child custody situations
• How child custody is determined in North Carolina