Top Columbia, MO Child Custody Lawyers Near You
28 North 8th Street, Suite 408, Columbia, MO 65201
Get local legal help for your Child Custody issues. Pingelton Law Firm assists clients in the Columbia, Missouri area.
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1506 Chapel Hill Road, Suite H, Columbia, MO 65203
Other Nearby Offices
Stange Law Firm, PC represents clients in Child Custody cases in the Columbia, Missouri area.
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401 Locust Street, Suite 401, Columbia, MO 65201
1200 Rogers St, Suite C, Columbia, MO 65201
1203 West Broadway, Columbia, MO 65203
1000 W Nifong Blvd, Building 7, Suite 201, Columbia, MO 65203
501 W. Cherry Street, Suite 200, Columbia, MO 65201
11 North 7th Street, Columbia, MO 65201
1103 East Broadway, Columbia, MO 65205-1017
700 Cherry Street, 2nd Floor, PO Box 7686, Columbia, MO 65205
11 North 5th Street, Columbia, MO 65201
29 South 9th Street, Suite 211, Columbia, MO 65201
Columbia Child Custody Information
Lead Counsel Verified Attorneys in Columbia
Lead Counsel independently verifies Child Custody attorneys in Columbia and checks their standing with Missouri bar associations.
Our Verification Process and Criteria
Ample Experience
Attorneys must meet stringent qualifications and prove they practice in the area of law they’re verified in.
Good Standing
Be in good standing with their bar associations and maintain a clean disciplinary record.
Annual Review
Submit to an annual review to retain their Lead Counsel Verified status.
Client Commitment
Pledge to follow the highest quality client service and ethical standards.
What Do Judges Look for in Custody Cases?
In every state, family court judges must consider what is in the child’s best interests when determining custody. In most cases, judges emphasize making sure the child will spend ample time with both parents. To make this happen, a judge will likely want to know what each parent’s home environment is like, whether each parent will be able to give a child the proper attention, and which situation the child will be most likely to thrive in.
Who Has Legal Custody of the Child When the Parents Aren’t Married?
If the parents are not married, the child’s biological parents both have parental rights unless the law says otherwise. An exception to this could be if no father is listed on the child’s birth certificate. In that case, the father would have to go through the legal process of establishing paternity to be able to assert his parental rights for visitation.
How Can a Mother Lose Custody of Her Child?
A mother can lose custody of her child in much the same way a father could. This could include abusing the child, abusing drugs or alcohol, providing an unsafe home environment for the child, or abandoning the child.
How Can You Change a Child Custody Order?
If you or your ex are unhappy with the current custody arrangement, you can negotiate a change to your agreement. If a judge feels that the changes are still in the child’s best interests, then they may approve the order. If one of you is pressing ahead with seeking a change and the other parent is contesting it, you will need to prove a “substantial” change in circumstances. This could include one of the parents moving out of state, suffering from a disability or illness that affects their parenting ability, exposing the child to an unsafe environment, or having a change in work circumstances that requires rescheduling of visitation.