Child custody is usually among the more sensitive things which those people who are involved in a breakup situation need to deal with. Even when both parties reach a decision concerning which one ought to have custody of the kids it could be a heart wrenching issue, however every time there’s a child custody dispute, the circumstance will become a lot more emotive. It will always be ideal for the parents to sort out the dispute and reach an agreement about a solution that is best for the children which might be involved, and the legal representatives should help this procedure along. They might in addition include a third party mediator that can assist, and in Virginia the judge can suggest mediation to resolve child custody disputes.

Custody of children in the state of Virginia is often split into three kinds: sole custody, split custody, and joint custody. Any time a parent is given sole custody of a child or children, the parent has physical custody, plus they are also lawfully empowered to make all the decisions regarding the children. Split custody is a expression that defines a situation when you have, for instance, four children and each parent will have physical and legal custody of two of them. Joint custody can refer to both physical as well as legal custody. Any time mother and father have joint physical custody, the child or children reside with each parent for various periods of time. Joint legal custody permits both parents to take part in decisions regarding the child, for instance religious affiliations, what schools to go to, and so forth.

In the state of Virginia custody dispute cases are actually under the jurisdiction of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. Before coming to a conclusion, the court is going to investigate the circumstances surrounding the matter and give a ruling which is going to be in the best interest of the child or children concerned. If the kids are considered mature enough to fully consider the situation, the court may meet them and look at their particular preferences. It is very important be aware that in the state of Virginia, child custody rulings will not be final and everlasting. If conditions change, child custody and visitation rights can be modified, so mothers and fathers do have a course of action should they really feel as though the initial decision is simply not appearing to be in the best interests of the children.

For anyone who is part of a child custody dispute, contact a Norfolk family attorney who has a background handling child custody issues. A good family law lawyer Norfolk Virginia can help you with the custody part of a Norfolk VA divorce.