Child Custody Lawyer in Tempe

When filing for divorce or separating from your former partner, you will need to make a series of careful decisions concerning your children. You will need to determine Tempe child custody arrangements and responsibilities, along with child support payments and visitation schedules.

These issues can be difficult to resolve without an experienced child custody attorney’s support—and the Law Office of Karen A. Schoenau can advocate for your rights during the legal process. Our Tempe child custody lawyer has the skills, knowledge, and resources you need to reach an optimal resolution in your case and protect your child’s needs.

Why Choose Us

• Our family law firm will place your child at the heart of every decision we make in your case. We will prioritize your child’s best interests from consultation to resolution.
• Our Tempe divorce attorney, Karen A. Schoenau, has over 20 years of experience in Arizona family law, specializing in complex child custody cases.
• Our family law firm understands how sensitive child custody cases can be. Our child custody attorneys will provide you with the support and compassion you deserve throughout your case.

Tempe Child Custody Guidelines

Under Arizona law, you can resolve child custody arrangements through a trial, or you and your former partner can reach an agreement through mediation or settlement. During these proceedings, you or the court will decide who has legal and physical custody of your child. Legal custody refers to your right to legal decision making on behalf of your child, while physical custody involves parenting time. Courts often award joint legal custody between parents but can give sole legal custody to one parent.

For physical custody, courts can split parenting time evenly between both parents. The court may also designate more than 50 percent of the parenting time to one parent, who becomes the custodial parent. The other parent, known as the non-custodial parent, will receive reasonable parenting time. In some cases, the court may award sole physical custody to one parent. Our Tempe child support lawyer can assist with ensuring the custodial parent receives appropriate financial support from the non-custodial parent in a child custody order.

There are several factors that a court may consider when creating a child custody order in Tempe:

• Whether either parent has a history of child abuse or domestic violence in Tempe
• The past, present, and future relationship that the child has with each parent
• Whether either parent has a history of making a false child abuse or neglect report to the court
• The child’s potential adjustment to home, school, and community changes
• Whether either parent is likely to foster a healthy relationship between the child and the other parent
• The child’s preferences if he or she is of suitable age and maturity
• The physical and mental health of the child and both parents
• Any other factors relevant to the custody arrangement

Do You Need a Tempe Child Custody Lawyer?

Whether resolved through trial or divorce mediation, child custody proceedings and parenting plan agreements can be highly emotional and complex. Hiring an attorney to represent your best interests during your case can provide several benefits to you, including the following.

• An attorney can handle all aspects of your case on your behalf, reducing stress, keeping you objective, and advocating for the optimal resolution during each stage of the case.
• An attorney can keep you from agreeing to an arrangement that would negatively impact your child’s life and your relationship.
• Our Tempe child custody lawyer understands Arizona child custody laws and can help you file your child custody case and avoid preventable errors that could delay or harm your case.

Schedule a Consultation Today

If you are seeking a child custody arrangement in Tempe, you need an attorney on your side. In these situations, the Tempe child custody lawyers at the Law Office of Karen A. Schoenau can help with any divorce or custody issues. Message us to schedule a free consultation of your specific child custody case with our attorney. Call 480-467-3435 to speak to our Scottsdale family law attorney today and find out how we can help.