Child Custody Law Grand Island, NE

Protecting Your Family In Grand Island, NE Child Custody Cases

Few family law matters can be as contentious as child custody battles. Whether you were married to your child/ren’s other parent or not, issues of decision-making for your child or where your child should live go to the heart of what matters most. The law recognizes that the parent-child relationship is important enough to be constitutionally protected, and our Grand Island, NE child custody lawyers can help make sure you get a fair arrangement. Nebraska judges make custody rulings based on a number of factors that are included in determining the best interest of the child or children involved.

Family law matters are often clouded by emotions. The attorneys at GordenLaw, LLC, cut through the emotions to help you focus on what matters most. As your legal advocates, we support your position, advocatefor you and your child, and work with you to set child custody, enforce court orders, or modify an existing order. Please contact us today for a professional consultation.

Determining A Custody Arrangement In Your Child’s Best Interest

Nebraska law does not use the term “visitation” for parents but instead calls this schedule “parenting time.” The goal in scheduling time with parentsin Nebraska is intended to give each parent as much time as possible with their child or children while maintaining stability.. However, there are some situations in which the child should be primarily with one parent, such as a parent who travels for work regularly. ). We get to know you, your family, and your child’s needs, and then develop a strong argument supporting your position.

Some child custody situations are more complicated, including those in which one parent may be unfit to have unsupervised custody of the child. Perhaps there was a history of domestic violence or neglect, one parent struggled with drug or alcohol abuse, or the parent has failed to provide a safe and stable living environment for the child. You want to protect your child, and we can help. Our attorneys have experience working with parents who seek sole custody to protect their children and understand what kind of evidence Nebraska family law judges require to make this ruling.

How Our Lawyers Help In Child Custody Disputes

At GordenLaw, one of our core values is creativity, and application of this value matters the most in custody cases. Each child and family is unique and we do not simply provide standard Parenting Plan forms for any case. Instead, we ask the necessary questions to make sure that we understand what our clients and their children need to help children grow up healthy and happy and to protect the parents’ peace. Many lawyers are not willing to help their clients with communication with the other parent in high-conflict situations, but at GordenLaw, we recognize that the vast majority of issues will never be heard by a judge and we help our clients have the tools to resolve issues that can be resolved informally while building cases for court if the judge will need to make those decisions. We empower clients in difficult custody situations by helping them approach coparenting with a wide-angle lens – looking for ways to avoid unnecessary drama without simply giving up or giving in on the issues that matter to them and to their children..

When you work with GordenLaw, LLC, you and your children are important to us. We’re ready to advise and advocate for you and your family now and in the future. Please contact us today for a strategy session with our Grand Island child custody lawyer. GordenLaw uses state of the art technology to work with clients facing family law matters throughout Nebraska, including Grand Island and the surrounding areas.

Emergency (Ex Parte) Child Custody And When It Is Used

Serving families in Grand Island, NE, our child custody attorneys recognize that urgent action is sometimes needed to protect a child’s well-being in high-risk situations. Emergency child custody is a legal tool used to protect a child’s safety and well-being when standard court procedures are not sufficient to address a serious concern in a timely manner. At GordenLaw, LLC, we help parents pursue emergency custody when there’s a genuine need to act quickly..

What Is An Emergency?

It is important to note that in Nebraska, all persons are mandatory reporters of child abuse and neglect that is personally witnessed, regardless of your role (or lack of a role) in the child’s life. Failure to report abuse or neglect is a criminal misdemeanor. You can report witnessed abuse by calling 911, calling law enforcement in the area where the incident(s) occurred, or by calling the Nebraska Hotline at 1-800-652-1999.

How Emergency Custody Works

Emergency child custody allows a parent or guardian to request a temporary order from the court more quickly and potentially without giving the other side time to respond until after an emergency order is entered.. This kind of request is typically made when there’s evidence that the child is in danger due to abuse, neglect, abandonment, or exposure to unsafe conditions. It is very important to recognize that the child must be in immediate danger of physical harm and the situation must be very serious for the Court to set aside due process (notice and opportunity to be heard by the other parent or guardian). Examples are included below.

A court can issue an emergency custody order within hours or days, depending on the facts presented. These orders are veryshort-term 10 days typically) and are meant to provide immediate protection until a more formal hearing can take place. At that point, both parents will have a chance to present their side, and the court will decide whether the emergency order should be modified, extended, or replaced with a different temporary arrangement.

When Emergency Custody May Be Appropriate

Emergency custody is not granted based on general concerns or disagreements between parents. It is reserved for urgent cases where the child’s health or safety is in immediate danger. That could include situations involving physical abuse, serious neglect, drug use in the home, threats of abduction, or a parent’s sudden incapacity to care for the child.

In some cases, a parent may be arrested, hospitalized, or otherwise unable to provide care, and the other parent or a close relative needs to act quickly to secure temporary custody. Emergency custody is also used when there’s a risk that one parent may flee the state or country with the child, especially if that parent has no legal custody rights.

Filing For Emergency Custody

Filing for emergency custody usually involves submitting a motion and affidavit (a sworn statement) explaining the immediate concern together with a proposed order that contains a notice of hearing. Supporting documentation, such as police reports, medical records, or witness statements, can be important in helping the court make a fast decision. Because the stakes are high, it’s important to be clear and specific about what is happening and why the child needs immediate protection.

Once the court receives the request, a judge will review the information and decide whether to issue the order. If granted, the temporary order gives the filing party legal authority to care for the child. A full hearing will typically follow within a short time, giving both parents a chance to address the situation in more detail.

We’re Here To Help Protect Your Child

If you believe your child is in immediate danger or needs urgent protection, we’re here to help you take the right legal steps. At GordenLaw, LLC, we understand how critical it is to act quickly and responsibly in these situations for the best interests of the child. Our firm owner was named “Distinguished Lawyer” by Expert Network in 2017. Contact our Grand Island child custody law lawyer today to schedule a consultation and discuss your options for emergency custody.