Every year in the United States, more than one million parents separate or divorce. These legal battles are often considered to involve the most dramatic causes, such as betrayal, abuse, or infidelity. While it’s true that these are some of the more common reasons for divorce in the United States, sometimes people just can’t make their situation work. So regardless of who’s at fault, what could have been changed, and what was said, the most important thing is that you think of the steps ahead of you. And if that involves a custody evaluation, keep reading for some information what you can expect.
Divorces happen for a variety of reasons, and children are not always involved in the equation. In fact, according to a study from Bowling Green State University, divorce rates for couples over 50 years of age have doubled in the last 20 years. It’s fairly safe to say that they don’t have to work out custody amongst themselves, but because younger marriages are at a larger risk, it’s important to know what you can do to help your child get through this difficult time.
Sometimes a divorce lawyer or custody lawyer can easily see which spouse the child or children should go with, according to lifestyle or their ability to provide. However, sometimes situations with your spouse simply don’t work and that means that it might not that simple. This is where you may need a custody evaluation, which is a legal process where an expert will make a recommendation for the custody of the child. This might seem a bit extreme, but they will work to figure out a plan that can suit both parents and the child to ensure that this divorce doesn’t burn the bridge of your relationships over the past few years.
Another reason to go through a custody evaluation is due to time. The divorce process can take months to work out completely, with the average length being one year. If you and your spouse can work out the details of custody early on in the proceedings, this could save you a lot of time later on. This may seem a bit harsh, but no one wants to drag out the divorce proceedings longer than they have to. Especially not if it could have a negative effect on your child later on in their life.
All things considered, custody and divorce lawyers are the ones to ask. Everyone’s situation is different, but they should have a fair estimate as to what kind of custody you could be looking at. The most important thing to remember is that you want to help make this process as painless as possible for your children. Regardless of what gets decided, they’re still your children and that won’t be changing.