Child Custody & Support
Larry B. Maier: Ephrata Child Custody Lawyer
If you are involved in child custody proceedings, decisions you make now will have a long-term effect on your relationship with your child. The first, and possibly most critical, of those decisions is whether you should fight or negotiate. After more than 30 years of practice in Lancaster County family courts, I have the experience to wage a winning fight on behalf of a client. I also have the wisdom to avoid involving my client in an unnecessary battle. -Attorney Larry B. Maier-
Pennsylvania child custody laws
Whether you are involved in divorce proceedings or you have never been married to your child's other parent, your child is, under the laws of Pennsylvania, entitled to maintain strong relationships with both parents. As a family law attorney, it is my job to protect my client's parental rights and advocate for a custody and visitation arrangement that is truly in the best interests of the child.
Before recommending a course of action, I carefully assess your unique situation and consider both conventional and creative custody and visitation arrangements. You will decide how to proceed. As your lawyer, I will advocate for your position through negotiations or in court.
A custody agreement or a custody battle
Your primary concern is your child's welfare. I will help you focus on that issue, and prevent your child from becoming a pawn or weapon in a battle with your spouse. A parental battle may cause serious distress to your child and possibly result in long-term damage to your relationship. However, there are cases where it is necessary to take an aggressive stance. I am well prepared to fight for my clients and have the experience to do so effectively.
Child support
The court's child support order will be based on your and your spouse's incomes, the amount of time your child spends at each home, and daycare costs. It is important that those calculations accurately represent the financial situations of both parties. The court may vary from guideline support in cases involving special circumstances. As your attorney, I will do my best to obtain the best outcome for your under the circumstances in domestic relations court, and to insure any agreement is fair to you before it is signed.
Modification of support or custody
If there has been a substantial change in circumstances since your custody or support order was issued, the court will consider a petition to modify the existing decree. Post-decree modification might follow a change in income, a parental relocation out-of-state, or a change in your child's developmental needs.
It is critical that you talk to an attorney before making decisions regarding child custody or support. If you would like to discuss my services, please feel free to give me a call at 717-842-4467. I will explain what I can do for you and explain my fee arrangement; you will have the opportunity to decide if you are comfortable with me. If you are not able to meet with me at my Ephrata, Pennsylvania, office, we can schedule an evening or weekend appointment.
