It is generally never a good idea to be active on social media during your divorce case since your posts can easily come back to haunt you and derail your chances at obtaining a favorable settlement. When it comes to child custody, it can have both an emotional and legal impact to your case. Remember, this legal battle is likely going to touch your life in every possible way and even affect the way you interact with others around you. Social media is a form of interaction and, if you continue to use it, you might inadvertently get yourself involved in legal trouble as a result of your posts.

Here are some ways in which social media can affect your child custody case:

• You might contradict yourself: If you think your social posts do not count as evidence, think again. Anything you post can be used against you, which is particularly true of something you post online directly contradicts a recorded legal statement you made.
• Your posts can be misleading: Social media is rarely an accurate reflection of real life. We tend to present a well-crafted image of ourselves to make people perceive us a certain way. If you want people to think you have a fun social life, you might post pictures of you and friends having a few drinks at a cool bar. Unfortunately, this can be used against you as evidence of excessive alcohol use or an irresponsible lifestyle.
• The emotional content: You are in the midst of a child custody case and this is undoubtedly an overwhelming time, but if you post your emotional rant about your ex, or your case in general, on social media it will backfire on you. Vent to a trusted friend instead.
• Your new relationships might get you in trouble: Oftentimes, people begin dating after their divorce. Obviously, this is fine, but if you post on your dating profile that you are single with no kids, or looking for a hook-up, this will look pretty bad in a courtroom.

If you continue to use social media throughout your child custody case, it would be wise to at least exercise some caution and good judgment. Ask yourself if you would mind a judge seeing your post and, if the answer is yes or if you are not sure, do not post it. Better safe than sorry.

Child Custody Attorney for Uncontested, No-Fault Divorce

At No Contest Divorce, LLC, we can prepare a custody agreement if you and your spouse have reached a decision on the best and most appropriate solution for your children after you have finalized your divorce. If your family is seeking a fast and affordable resolution, our firm can help. There is no reason to pay premium prices for the representation of a conventional firm.

Get started today! Contact 215.839.1162 to learn more.

Now that it’s December, we’re deep in the holiday season. It’s that time of year where we drink hot cocoa, gather around the fireplace, exchange gifts, and enjoy big holiday dinners with family. While the holidays can bring warm feelings and cheer for most people, when you’re a parent getting a divorce, it can be a different story.

Suddenly, the divorcing parent is worried they won’t have their kids during Hanukkah or Christmas or they fear they won’t be able to honor family traditions. If you’re getting a divorce and you’re concerned about child custody and the holidays, you’re not alone. Just about every parent going through a divorce has concerns about it.

Your Questions Answered

As a divorce firm, we get a lot of questions about child custody during the holidays. Here, we answer the most common questions from clients:

When is child custody during the holidays addressed? When divorcing parents create a divorce agreement, they must make arrangements for child custody. Child custody agreements typically address spring break, summer vacation, and child custody over the holidays. You and your spouse will need to hash all of these out before the judge signs off on your divorce.

Is there any way to ensure I get to see my kids on the holidays themselves? If you have a low-conflict situation and you get along well with your spouse, it may be best to continue celebrating the holidays the way you always do – together. If you have a good relationship with your ex, there’s no reason to celebrate the holidays separately. And, as significant others enter into the picture, it may be good to invite them to celebrate the holidays with the family. This shows the children that everybody gets along and that there is no reason to leave anyone out.

What if I don’t want to see my ex at Christmas? If you are not comfortable spending any holidays with your ex, you can do what a lot of parents do: alternate holidays every year. For example, on even years you can get Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve and on odd years you get the kids on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve and then rotate these each year with your ex.

We hope you found these tips helpful. If you’re interested in filing a cheap, no-fault divorce for only $319, contact No Contest Divorce, LLC at (215) 839-1162.

When parents first get a divorce, they agree on a child custody arrangement. Often, parents don’t realize that as time goes by, they may need to change the existing child custody arrangement. In fact, this is quite common.

Essentially, it all comes down to the fact that life circumstances change. Some of the factors that lead to child custody modifications (an official court-ordered change in a child custody agreement) include job relocations, moves closer to family, remarriage, illness or disability on behalf of the custodial parent, and so on. Even a change in the child’s relationship with one parent can lead to a child custody modification.

Best Interests of the Child

Often, a circumstance will change and the parents will enter into a casual agreement to change custody. However, this is not the best way to go about it, especially if child support is being automatically deducted from one parent’s paycheck and the child moves in with him or her and now they’re the custodial parent.

Whenever child custody is changed, it should be memorialized in writing. This means, one of the parents are going to have to petition the court for a child custody modification. If the change is significant, child support will probably be affected as well. If one parent wants to modify the existing custody arrangement and the other parent doesn’t agree, the parent seeking the change will have to take their ex to court so a judge can decide.

Judges are very interested in the best interests of the child. If the reason for the change is more parent-focused than child-focused, the judge will be less likely to make a change. However, if the change is in the child’s best interests, the judge will be more inclined to grant a modification. In any case, the judge will weigh several factors, all based on the “best interests of the child doctrine.” Here are some examples:

• Which parent is more likely to encourage frequent contact between the child and other parent.
• Any history of domestic violence.
• The parental duties each party has been performing for their child.
• The availability of the child’s extended family.
• The child’s relationships with siblings.
• The need to keep stability in regard to the child’s education, their family, and their community life.
• The child’s preference, based on their maturity and sound judgment.

If you are getting a no-fault divorce, you can contact No Contest Divorce, LLC to have it done affordably. We can answer all of your questions about child custody and under what circumstances you may need to ask the court for a child custody modification in the future.

Like all states, both parents in Pennsylvania have the right to have a strong relationship with their children, even after a divorce. In fact, the family courts nationwide have recognized how beneficial it is for children to have continuing and frequent contact with both parents. Because of this belief, such an arrangement is strongly encouraged providing it is safe for the children.

Usually, it is best for the parents to reach a child custody agreement and have it officially signed off by a judge and made into a court order. If you have a written agreement with your ex, even if it’s notarized, it cannot be enforced by the police unless it’s been made into a court order. That being said, it’s best to get any written agreement made into a court order so it can be enforced by the courts if there are any issues down the road.

What is Visitation Exactly?

Visitation has to do with the noncustodial parent’s right to have quality time with his or her children. Merriam-Webster defines visitation as, “Temporary custody of a child granted to a noncustodial parent.” Generally, noncustodial parents have a right to “visitation” unless there is a safety concern; for example, the noncustodial parent has a severe mental illness, they have committed child abuse, or they have a substance abuse problem.

There are two types of visitation: supervised and unsupervised. In most cases, supervised visitation is saved for circumstances where there has been domestic violence. However, visitation is somewhat of a loose concept in the family court system. Currently, the courts do not have strict rules about visitation, so judges have a lot of discretion and they typically make visitation orders based on the best interests of the child.

Child custody can be confusing. If you’re getting a divorce and you have minor children, it’s important to be knowledgeable about your child custody and visitation rights. Contact No Contest Divorce, LLC to seek advice from one of our qualified attorneys.