Top Westbrook, ME Child Custody Lawyers Near You
75 Pearl Street, Suite 400, Portland, ME 04101
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Getting legal representation for your Child Custody issue is easier than you think. Let Shaheen & Gordon Attorneys At Law in Westbrook, Maine help you today.
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115 Middle Street, Suite 300, Portland, ME 04101
477 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101
Merrill's Wharf, 254 Commercial Street, Portland, ME 04101
Twelve Portland Pier, Portland, ME 04101
75 Pearl St, Suite 208, Portland, ME 04101
30 Milk Street, 5th Floor, Portland, ME 04101
305 Main St, Yarmouth, ME 04096
One Portland Square, Portland, ME 04112-0586
44 Exchange Street, Suite 301, Portland, ME 04101
280 Front St., Bath, ME 04530
53 Exchange St, Portland, ME 04101
183 Middle Street, 4th Floor, Portland, ME 04112
477 Congress St., Suite 1104, Portland, ME 04101
2 Monument Square, Suite 400, Portland, ME 04101
949 Main St., PO Box 1068, Sanford, ME 04073
56B Maine St., Brunswick, ME 04011
1321 Washington Avenue, Suite 204, Portland, ME 04103
107 Congress St., Portland, ME 04101
215 Commercial St, 2nd Floor, PO Box 4801, Portland, ME 04112
16A Woodbridge Rd., York, ME 03909
2145 Post Rd, PO Box 1647, Wells, ME 04090
119 Main St, Kennebunk, ME 04043
66 Pearl Street, Suite 200, Portland, ME 04101
97A Exchange St., Suite 404, Portland, ME 04101
Westbrook Child Custody Information
Lead Counsel Verified Attorneys in Westbrook
Lead Counsel independently verifies Child Custody attorneys in Westbrook and checks their standing with Maine 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.