Custody and support
Custody and child support, worked out around your kids
Parenting time, decisions about school and health, and the support that pays for it: a first order, or a change to one that no longer fits.
Judges decide custody by what's best for the children, so that's where we start too: their school, their routines, and how far apart the two homes are. We help you write a parenting plan a judge will sign and you can actually live with.
Child support usually follows a formula. We make sure the numbers that go into it are right, and we ask for a change when a new job, a move or a new schedule makes the old order wrong.
We can help with
First custody and parenting-time orders
Child support, set or changed
Moving with a child
An order the other parent ignores
What a parenting plan settles
School-week nights
Which nights the children spend where, and how the handoffs happen.
Holidays, birthdays and summer
Who has which holidays and birthdays, and how summer break is shared.
School and health
Who decides on school, doctors and activities, and how you tell each other.
Getting between homes
Who drives, where you meet, and what happens when plans change.
Asked about custody and support
Will my child have to talk to the judge?
Usually not. Some judges speak with older children privately, and some appoint someone to speak for the child. We tell you what to expect from your judge.
Can I move to another city with my child?
Often only with the other parent's agreement or the court's permission, and there are notice rules. Talk to us before you sign a lease.
Can support change if I lose my job?
You can ask for a change when your income changes a lot. Ask soon: a change usually reaches back only to the date you asked for it.
Talk to us about your parenting plan
Tell us the ages of your children and what isn't working. We'll explain the options from there.