Shreveport Child Custody Lawyer

Facing a child custody matter in Shreveport, LA? Contact our Shreveport child custody lawyer at Knight Law Firm by calling (318) 569-8469 to schedule a consultation. We will fight to obtain the outcome you and your child need and deserve.

Divorces and separations can be difficult for everyone involved, especially children. Even when parents have an amicable divorce, the children must split time between their parents’ homes.

At Knight Law Firm, our attorneys understand your child’s well-being is a top priority. Given your circumstances, we will work with you to develop a child custody arrangement that is in your child’s best interests.

Attorney Robert Knight has practiced law for over two decades. He has extensive experience in all matters related to family law, including child custody. You can trust our legal team to handle your child custody case with compassion and attention to your priorities. Contact our law firm to schedule a consultation.

How Knight Law Firm Can Help You With a Child Custody Case in Shreveport, Louisiana?

How Our Shreveport Family Law Attorneys Can Help You With a Child Custody Case in Louisiana

Louisiana judges may grant joint custody or 50/50 custody. However, judges can give a parent sole custody if they find that it is in the child’s best interest.

When you hire our top-rated Shreveport divorce lawyer, you can trust we will:

Intently listen to you as you explain your situation and what you believe would be the best custody arrangement for your child
Explain your parental rights and how Louisiana’s child custody laws apply in your case
Investigate allegations of parental unfitness, parental alienation, domestic violence, and child abuse
Hire child psychologists and other expert witnesses to assist with your case as necessary
Work with you to develop a parenting plan and time-sharing agreement that works best for you and your child
Use negotiation and family mediation to develop a parenting plan that the court will approve
Take your case to trial and aggressively advocate for you and your child, if necessary

If you and your spouse cannot agree on custody terms, your case will go to trial. A judge will then decide on the custody terms that would be in your child’s best interests. Regardless of whether you negotiate a custody agreement or go to trial, having an experienced lawyer on your side will give you the best chance of a positive outcome.

Call Knight Law Firm to schedule a case review with an experienced Shreveport child custody lawyer.

For a legal consultation call 318-323-2213

Types of Child Custody in Shreveport, LA

Before unpacking custody arrangements, it is important to understand that there are two types of “custody”:

Legal Custody: A parent with legal custody has the right to make important decisions for their child with respect to religion, healthcare, education, extra-curricular activities, and other issues that impact the child’s life.
Physical Custody: Physical custody determines who the child lives with and who cares for their needs.

The different types of custody arrangements that courts may grant include:

Joint Custody

Joint custody gives each parent the legal right to make decisions for their child and have the child live with them. However, it is not an equal arrangement. Parents should consult with each other about important decisions to co-parent effectively.

Generally, one parent will serve as the custodial parent. The child primarily lives with the custodial parent to provide continuity and stability, and the non-custodial parent has frequent visitation with the child.

Sole Custody

Sole custody gives one parent the absolute right to make decisions for the child without consulting the non-custodial parent.

Reasons for sole custody include, but are not limited to:

A child is old enough to express a reasonable desire to live with one parent.
A parent is unable to provide a safe, stable home for the child.
The parents have a history of extreme conflict, making it impossible to co-parent effectively.
A parent has a history of family violence or child abuse.
The primary custodial parent can offer a home that is substantially more stable.
A parent has a history of substance abuse.

Even though a judge grants sole custody, it does not mean a parent will not see their child. Typically, under these circumstances, the court will order visitation with the non-custodial parent. However, the court could restrict visitation or order supervised visitation to protect the child.

Split Custody

Split custody may be ordered when a couple has more than one child. The court may give one parent sole custody of one or more children and the other parent sole custody of the remaining children. This custody arrangement often occurs in cases when children are old enough to express a reasonable opinion of which parent they wish to have custody of.

Shared Custody

In a shared custody arrangement, the parents split their time with their children equally. For example, a child may switch homes every other week or every two weeks. Shared custody can be challenging for a child due to the instability of having multiple living arrangements.

Non-Parental Custody

In some situations, the court may determine that neither parent is fit to have custody of a child, is deceased, or cannot be located. If so, the court may grant custody of the child to someone other than the parent. For example, the court may give custody to the child’s grandparents.

Shreveport Child Custody Lawyer Near Me 318-323-2213

How Does the Court Decide Child Custody in Louisiana?

The primary concern in child custody cases is the best interests of the child. Courts encourage parents to develop an agreement and visitation schedule that benefits their children. However, if parents cannot reach an agreement, the judge must determine what type of custody arrangement serves the child’s best interest.

Louisiana Civil Code Art. 134 provides the 14 factors judges must consider when determining a child’s best interest. Those factors are:

The possibility that a child will be abused
The emotional ties, affection, and love between the child and each parent
The disposition and ability of a parent to provide a child with spiritual guidance, affection, and love and to continue the child’s education and raising
The disposition and ability of each parent to provide the child with material needs, including medical care, food, and clothing
The length of time the child has lived in a stable home and the desire to maintain the continuity of that environment
The longevity of the family unit in the existing and proposed custodial home
The moral fitness of each parent as it affects the child’s welfare
Any history of criminal acts, violence, or substance abuse by either parent
The physical and mental health of each parent
The child’s history with their community, school, and home
A child’s reasonable preference for custody
The ability and willingness of a parent to encourage and facilitate a child’s close and continuing relationship with their other parent
The distance between the parents’ homes
How the parents have exercised the rearing and care of the child up to this date

Judges may consider other factors they deem relevant when deciding child custody cases. Our custody lawyer analyzes all factors in your case to determine how each factor impacts your chance of receiving custody.

When possible, we work with your child’s other parent to divide parental responsibilities and time to benefit your child. If your ex-partner refuses to negotiate terms that are best for your child, we are prepared to take your case to court.

Click to contact us today

Can I Modify a Child Custody Order in Louisiana?

Depending on your child’s age, you may have a custody arrangement for between 10 and 15 years. Your family’s circumstances will likely change over the years, which may require modifying the current child custody agreement.

Parents may reach an agreement on a modification of child custody agreement and submit a proposed modification order to the court. The judge then reviews it to ensure that it will benefit the child. If the judge agrees, they may sign the order with the new custody terms.

However, if a parent disputes that the proposed modification is in the child’s best interests, the modification must be litigated. The parent filing for a child custody modification has the burden of proving a substantial change in circumstances justifies a custody modification.

When custody changes, it may also result in a modification of child support. The time a child spends with each parent can impact the amount of their child support obligation.

Complete a Case Evaluation form now