Fayetteville Child Custody Lawyers

Helping Families Through Divorce in North Carolina

Divorce is never easy, but it can be even more stressful when there are children involved. When parents are fighting over custody of their children, children can often feel lost and confused, and parents may feel even more stressed and guilty.

At Rand & Gregory, we understand how hard it can be to navigate child custody cases, and how stressful these cases can be for you and your children. We are committed to helping you reach the best custody agreement possible, and we will work hard to achieve your goals.

Our Fayetteville child custody lawyers can help you create a parenting plan that will include details on how each parent will care for their children. Additionally, we can assist with custody modification as well as enforcement cases if one parent isn't complying with the current plan.

Contact us at (910) 684-4049 to get started with an experienced child custody attorney in Fayetteville.

Child Custody Agreements in NC

In North Carolina, courts generally make custody decisions based on what is in the children's best interests. Courts will consider each parent's ability to provide a healthy environment for the children, and their willingness to cooperate with the other parent.

The types of custody agreements available in NC include:

• Physical Custody: This refers to the right of a parent to have a child live with them. It may be joint (shared by both parents) or sole (one parent gets the right).
• Legal Custody: It pertains to the right and obligation to make decisions about a child's upbringing including education, healthcare, and religious training. Like physical custody, it can also be joint or sole.
• Joint Custody: In this arrangement, both parents share physical and/or legal custody of the child. Joint custody requires amicable communication and cooperation between parents for the child’s benefit.
• Sole Custody: One parent has both legal and physical custody. The other parent may have visitation rights, but does not have any custodial rights, and cannot make decisions affecting the child.
• Split Custody: This is relatively rare, and used only in situations where siblings decide they want to live with different parents.
• Bird's Nest Custody: This is a form of joint custody where the child always stays in the same home, while the parents take turns moving in and out. This provides stability for the child, but can be logistically complex for the parents.

Courts will generally encourage parents to create their own custody agreement, as long as the agreement is in the children's best interests. If parents cannot agree on a custody arrangement, a judge will make the decision based on the factors mentioned above. 

What Is a Parenting Plan?

A parenting plan is a document that details the custody arrangement. It will include the time each parent will spend with their children, and the details of the custody arrangement. Parents can include as many details as they want, including how the children will spend time with each parent, details about the children's schedule, and how the parents will communicate with each other.

If you are putting together a parenting plan or child custody case, turn to our team at Rand & Gregory for support. Call us at (910) 684-4049 to schedule a consultation.