Legal Representation in High-Conflict Child Custody Disputes
At the Nova Family Law Group, one of our primary areas of practice is representing parents involved in high-conflict child custody disputes.
Our lead attorneys have significant legal experience and bring a skilled focus on litigating family law cases in and around Fairfax and Northern Virginia. We are a division of the well-established and AV-rated* law firm of Hale Carlson Baumgartner, PLC.
Primary Factors Used to Determine Child Custody
In the broadest possible terms, child custody and visitation arrangements must be crafted in the best interests of the child. This standard, "the best interests of the child," is vague and allows a judge a lot of discretion in making rulings regarding child custody and visitation.
Some of the considerations include:
- Which parent has been the primary caregiver thus far?
- What type of child custody arrangement will have the best chance of preserving each parent's relationship with the child?
- If the parents live in different geographical areas, where has the child established family ties? Which location offers the child the best educational opportunities?
- If the child has special medical needs, which parent is better equipped to manage the child's medical and educational care?
- Is there truth to any charges of substance abuse that have come up during the divorce proceedings? If so, are there rehabilitation programs that would allow the parent to continue a supervised relationship with the child?
Expert Witnesses in Child Custody Disputes
At the Nova Family Law Center our lawyers frequently call upon the help of expert witnesses to help us build a strong proposal in child custody disputes. Forensic experts including psychologists, psychiatrists and professional child custody evaluators help us make a strong recommendation to the court regarding child custody — one that is founded on the opinions of experts in their fields.
Contact the Nova Family Law Group
If you have questions about a potential or actual child custody dispute, we encourage you to schedule an initial consultation with one of our attorneys. To make an appointment, call 703-763-0980 or 866-639-8801 or use our online contact form.
CV, BV, and AV are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards, and policies.
Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the Bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell ratings fall into two categories - legal ability and general ethical standards.
