Facing a divorce and child custody matters as a father may leave you worried about your future role in your child’s life. Both parents should be treated equally; however, fathers do have to fight harder to gain full custody, even if it is truly in the child’s best interest. A Stamford fathers’ rights lawyer can help you understand your parental rights and help advocate for you.
You may feel that the legal system is against you, but our team at Reich & Truax, PLLC, is here to advocate that you receive fair treatment in the courts and that your child’s best interests are protected. Our firm has over 45 years of experience representing fathers in complex custody, parenting time, and child support cases. Nothing can be more difficult than facing legal challenges involving your children. Get the help you deserve.
In Connecticut, the courts focus on the best interests of the child, not on favoring one parent over the other. The law requires that both parents, regardless of gender, be equally evaluated for custody of a child. When the judge reviews your case, they will factor in how each parent has participated in the child’s life and how each will support the child moving forward.
The judge will consider your child’s well-being, both physical and emotional, and the stability of each parent’s home. The court will also consider which parent has been responsible for the daily care of their child, school involvement, medical decisions, and daily activities. Our attorneys are very familiar with Stamford family courts and will help you gather the documentation needed to help the court understand your role as a father.
It can be very intimidating facing family court alone, and difficult to know what you need to do as a father to help your case when seeking custody and support for your child. Our team of Stamford lawyers works with fathers so that they have everything they need before entering the courtroom to prove their active participation in their child’s life.
Our goal is to help you present a parenting plan that is centered around your child, supports your child’s physical and emotional well-being, and is practical. Child custody matters during a divorce can often lead to conflict and disagreements between parents. Our team will help redirect focus on your child’s needs rather than play into any conflict that arises.
It is important throughout your case that you communicate with the other parent in a respectful manner and avoid posting on social media anything negative about the other party. If you want to pursue shared or full custody of your child, keeping a record of your time, including overnights, participation in school events, and daily activities, will help the court understand your involvement.
The team at Reich & Truax, PLLC, will review your unique situation and tailor our guidance to fit your child’s needs and your family’s dynamic. When crafting a parenting plan, we will work with you to factor in your child’s school schedule, after-school activities, and the medical or educational needs of your child. Our goal is to protect your rights as a father while making you feel supported and prepared when entering the Stamford-Norwalk Judicial District Family Court.
Our team can help you throughout your divorce and custody case. Our team supports fathers every day in Stamford, facing custody battles, but also can assist with alimony or property division disputes.
Our team is skilled at offering negotiations and mediation when crafting parenting plans that fit all members of the family better than a standard court plan. We will make sure your voice is heard and your rights are protected throughout your case, all while preserving your privacy.
A: In Connecticut, fathers have equal legal rights to seek custody, visitation, support, and decision-making rights for their child. The courts support both parents equally based on the best interests of the child. Important steps to protect your rights as a father will be to establish paternity, especially if you are unmarried. If you feel your rights as a father are challenged by your child’s other parent, seek the immediate help of a lawyer.
A: The mistake considered the biggest during a custody battle is losing sight of what is most important: your child. If you begin to lose focus on your child’s best interests and start letting emotions like anger or revenge force your decisions, it will end up hurting you in court. Major mistakes to avoid are prioritizing yourself over your child, refusing to co-parent, using your child as leverage against the other parent, badmouthing the other parent, or violating court orders.
A: In Connecticut, a mother cannot legally refuse a father access to their child, as the courts treat both parents equally when establishing custody and parenting plans. If a mother tries to keep a child away from their father and purposefully ignores a court-ordered parenting plan, it can lead to serious legal penalties for contempt of court.
A: In Connecticut, child custody is determined based on the best interests of the child. They strive for joint custody in most cases rather than favoring one gender. However, an overwhelming number of mothers win child custody cases, according to the Annie E Casey Foundation. Of 12.9 million custodial parents nationwide, 80% were mothers and 20% were fathers.
Navigating a divorce as a parent can be challenging; it can become frightening if you are a single father concerned with your child being taken away from you due to gender bias. Our team at Reich & Truax, PLLC, will work hard to safeguard your rights and protect the best interests of your child. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.