Helena Child Custody Lawyer

Some of the most emotionally charged and sensitive issues in family law involve child custody disputes. Whether you are seeking custody of your child outside of a marriage or have run into custody disagreements during your divorce, having knowledgeable and experienced legal support can make all the difference in your case. A Helena child custody lawyer from Delli Bovi, Martin, & Reed, LLC is ready to protect your rights and interests and fight for your children.

At Delli Bovi, Martin, & Reed, LLC, our legal team shares decades of combined experience assisting parents in Helena in achieving child custody and visitation agreements that put the best interests of their children first. A diligent lawyer from our team can work closely with you to understand the particular challenges you’re facing and help you design and implement a robust legal strategy that helps you secure a fair resolution.

What You Need to Know About Montana Child Custody Laws

Child custody in Montana is divided into two major categories, known as legal and physical custody. Legal custody refers to a parent’s right to participate in decision-making regarding important factors of a child’s upbringing, such as their religion, the healthcare they receive, and their education. Physical custody, on the other hand, dictates where a child will be living and which parent will be responsible for their day-to-day care.

Legal and physical custody arrangements can be characterized as joint or sole. A joint custody arrangement involves the contributions of each parent, while sole means that custody is only granted to one parent. For example, when parents share joint physical custody, they both have the right to have their child live with them and must set a schedule to follow. If a parent is awarded sole physical custody, a child can only live with them; however, visitation rights may apply.

How Montana Courts Make Child Custody Arrangements

Montana courts lean toward joint custody arrangements, as this encourages the presence of each parent in a child’s life and allows for more support. There are, however, situations in which Montana courts will prefer sole custody arrangements. This often occurs when, for example, one parent has a history of domestic violence or substance abuse.

Ultimately, the main goal of Montana courts is to make child custody decisions based on the best interests of a child, not their parents. To do this, the court must consider a wide range of factors, including:

• The ability of each parent to provide a nurturing, safe home environment
• The relationship a child has with each parent
• The unique needs a child has and if they have any special needs
• The income of each parent
• Whether any parent has a history of domestic violence, substance abuse, or a criminal record

What You Should Do When Pursuing Child Custody in Montana

If your case involves child custody issues in Montana, it is highly recommended to speak with a skilled child custody attorney who can help you better understand your legal rights and what steps you should take to achieve your goals. It’s vital that you work with a lawyer who has experience handling child custody cases, as these kinds of cases are often complex and can escalate quickly.

Once you’ve found a lawyer, you should explain the challenges you’re facing and the needs of your child. From there, you can work together to collect all pertinent documentation that can help you build a strong case. The largest aspect of a child custody case is demonstrating exactly what your child’s needs are and how you can provide for them. A knowledgeable lawyer from our firm can help you better understand how to navigate a child custody case.

Child Custody Modifications in Montana

As circumstances in your life and family undergo changes, existing child custody arrangements may need to be adjusted to reflect your current situation. In Montana, a modification of a custody agreement can be requested on various grounds, such as:

• When a parent has to relocate
• When new needs or preferences of the child arise
• When concerns regarding the safety of the child arise
• When significant changes in a parent’s living or financial situation arise

A diligent Helena child custody lawyer from our firm can assist you with navigating the custody agreement modification process, working to serve as an advocate for you and your child from start to finish.

How Can Delli Bovi, Martin, & Reed, LLC Help You?

Our family law team understands that every Montana family faces unique challenges. That’s why we work to develop personal legal strategies that are focused on your family’s specific goals. While dealing with a child custody case is never easy, working with a dependable family lawyer can make an immense difference.

Our team understands the long-term damage that lengthy custody battles can have on you and your family’s emotions. Therefore, whenever possible, we strive to secure amicable resolutions during disputes through methods like negotiation or mediation. We can work together to minimize conflict in your family and create a supportive environment for cooperative parenting.

While we aim to resolve child custody disputes amicably, we understand that some cases may still require litigation. If your case needs to go to court, we can fight vigorously on your behalf to represent your rights and the interests of your children. We can leverage our years of experience in the family courtroom to present strong arguments with compelling supporting evidence.

While the best interests of your children are a priority for our legal team, so are your parental rights. From start to finish of the legal process, we can fight for a resolution that fully reflects your rights and interests as a concerned parent.

Reach Out to Our Skilled Helena Child Custody Lawyers Today

When the future of your family is at stake, it’s crucial to have empathetic and skilled legal representation on your side. Our Helena child custody lawyers at Delli Bovi, Martin, & Reed, LLC understand the stress of your situation and are prepared to help you fight for a solution that’s fair. Together, we can work to ensure your child’s rights and your parental rights are both respected and met. Contact us today to learn more about our child custody services.