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Child Custody

If you and your spouse have minor children, all issues regarding child custody and child support will need to be resolved during your divorce matter. There are two forms of custody in Nevada: Legal Custody and Physical Custody.

Legal Custody governs decisions such as medical, schooling, and religious issues. Joint Legal Custody, where both parents have equal rights, is the most common form of legal custody in Las Vegas divorce cases.

Physical Custody determines whom the children live with and for what period of time. Joint Physical Custody, where both parents share equal time with their minor children, is the "default" standard used in Las Vegas divorce matters. The Family Court's intention is to keep both parents actively involved in the upbringing of their minor children.

There are however, certain situations where one parent may be awarded Primary Physical Custody. This means that they have the children living with them the majority of the time, and they are the primary caregiver for the day-to-day needs of the children.

The most common reason for one parent having Primary Physical Custody is that you and your spouse agree to it. The second most common reason is logistical. In cases where you and your spouse will be (or are) living far away from each other, it is not possible to share equal time. One parent's work schedule or related travel can also make Joint Physical Custody impractical.

There are also unfortunate situations where one parent may not be fit to share Joint Physical Custody. If one parent has domestic violence, drug, alcohol, criminal, or mental stability issues, they may not be fit to share equal time.

The child custody arrangement has a direct effect on child support. Learn more about child support.

The Impact on Your Children

There are numerous ways to lessen the impact of divorce on your children. Regardless of the difficulties between you and your spouse, there are definitive rules that both parents should abide by.

Always

• Put the welfare of your children above your differences.
• Encourage your children to have a good relationship with your spouse.
• Cooperate with your spouse as it pertains to visitation exchanges.
• Answer your children's questions about what is going on, but limit their exposure to the details.
• Explain that "mom and dad are going through a difficult time, but we both love you very much".

Never

• Badmouth your spouse in front of your children. In addition to having a negative impact, it almost always produces the opposite long-term result intended.
• Tell your children that the divorce is your spouse's fault.
• Use your children as a "bargaining chip" in divorce proceedings.
• Subject your children to dangerous situations. If there are valid concerns about domestic violence, notify your divorce attorney immediately.

Las Vegas divorce attorneys, Jennifer V. Abrams, Vincent Mayo and Robert Cerceo are well experienced in all aspects of child custody including getting awards of Primary Physical Custody at trial.

"Ms. Abrams and her staff were outstanding. She was exceptional in her handling of my case and kept me well informed of everything that I needed to know throughout the process, I highly recommend Ms. Abrams for Family Court issues such as Divorce and Custody, etc. She is a lawyer that you can TRUST! Extremely ethical and humane."
- Alynn D.

"In a time where I felt like I was truly in a bind, Attorney Mayo not only helped me seek out justice through the family court but his services helped me with my family. I was so impressed with his exquisite ability to apply each detail and conflict I had with a correlating court case that it was obvious the amount of time and energy he put into my case.  Attorney Mayo was always a phone call or email away and his advice was always appreciated.  If I ever need any legal assistance in the future, I will definitely be returning to him."
- Shaun F.  

"Divorce, Child Custody, False Claims of Abuse and Domestic Violence are very serious matters where the truth must come to the surface in the sea of lies from the opposition.  Jennifer Abrams is smart as tacks, carries a bull whip and lands on her feet when thrown complicated matters on the fly. I recommend her to everyone. She's not cheap but you cannot afford to be without her as your counsel. She works day and night and does whatever it takes to be ready for court."
- Glen K.

"I thought that Attorney Jennifer Abrams was very knowledgeable of the law and was able to fight for what was right.  I am very pleased with her during this long and troubling case."
- Jason R.