Protecting Your Rights In Custody Determinations

For most parents, matters of child custody are the most pressing and emotional part of the divorce process. Many parents wish to maximize their time with their children, which can lead to bitter legal disputes.

At Coots, Henke & Wheeler, P.C., we work to minimize both the emotional and financial toll of challenging divorce and custody cases. Our family law attorneys bring decades of experience in both negotiations and trials to help our clients advocate for fair parenting arrangements. We assist parents with a full range of issues around custody, visitation and parenting time, including negotiating, litigating, modifying and enforcing custody and parenting plans.

Advocating For Fair Parenting Arrangements

It is typically in both parents’ best interests to negotiate a parenting plan. While compromise is usually required on both sides, this allows parents to make their own decisions about parenting time. If the parents cannot agree, parenting time will be determined by a judge. This judge typically knows very little about the family, so many parents accept some compromise in a negotiation to maintain some say over custody.

If custody determinations are left to the court, judges will do their best to determine what arrangement is in the best interests of the child. Many factors go into this determination, including:

• The wishes of each parent
• The wishes of the child
• The caretaking role each parent has assumed in the life of the child
• Each parent’s ability to provide a stable home and encourage contact with the other parent
• The capacity of each parent to offer love, parenting and guidance
• The location of each parent and proximity to the child’s school, other relatives, etc.

Whether you and your spouse are generally on the same page about parenting time or you are preparing to zealously protect your parental rights, our attorneys are prepared to empower you with the information you need and the dedicated counsel you deserve.

We Are Here To Help. Call For A Consultation.

We help parents protect their custody rights in Carmel, Fishers, Westfield, Noblesville, Zionsville, Indianapolis and throughout central Indiana. Please call 317-708-4819 or send us an email to speak with a member of our family law team about your custody concerns.