This is the next article in my series on the question of “when do Las Vegas, Nevada child custody orders end?” My last article discussed how a child’s age impacts a Nevada visitation order. Courts will sometimes grant “teenage discretion,” which can give a child flexibility as to where they will spend their time. This discretion, however, is not absolute and the Court will require that each parent receive their designated amount of time. In this article I will be discussing the importance of having an attorney until you no longer have a custody order in place. If you are in need of assistance then contact my office today to speak with a lawyer.
Las Vegas parents should retain a lawyer as child custody orders are ongoing until the youth is 18 or emancipated
I discussed earlier in this series that Nevada child custody orders remain in place until the youth is eighteen or emancipated. This means that both parents have ongoing obligations which they are required to meet. These include visitation orders, the payment of child support, the sharing of information, and more. It is rare for parents, even those who are on the best of terms, to go many years without some form of disagreement. While many disagreements are minor, others can quickly escalate and create larger problems. Having an attorney on retainer, for the purposes of dealing with sticky situations, can help to prevent small problems from becoming large ones.
Consider the following example. Jack and Jill have a fourteen-year-old daughter. The Court’s orders say that Jill is to have the child for Thanksgiving in odd-numbered years. Jack, however, is concerned that his father (the youth’s grandfather) is about to enjoy his last Thanksgiving. Without Jill’s permission, he takes the child out of state to spend an odd-year Thanksgiving with his family. Angry about the situation, Jill files an emergency request to have the child returned to Nevada. Animosity between the parents quickly escalates and they begin to argue over a wide range of issues that they had previously been able to work out privately. This leads to ongoing litigation. If Jack had contacted Jill, through his lawyer, an agreement for Thanksgiving quite possibly could have been worked out and a great deal of aggravation could have been saved for all parties involved. This is just one example as to how having an attorney to assist you, with day-to-day situations, can be beneficial.
Having an attorney does not mean that parents need to involve them for all issues
Some parents may think that “having a lawyer” means that counsel must be utilized for all interactions with their parental counterpart. This is not the case. Parents are expected to communicate with each other in regards to scheduling and the well-being of their child. Having counsel, on an ongoing basis, simply provides a professional to call when non-typical situations arise or when a conflict may be brewing. In addition to saving time and headaches for the parents, having a lawyer can also help to create a better home environment which can serve the best interests of the child.
If you need ongoing assistance then contact my office today to speak with a Las Vegas child custody lawyer. I practice solely in the area of family law and I am well aware of the types of issues that can arise in such cases. My office is devoted to providing the highest level of service and I look forward to being of assistance. Contact us online or by telephone today to schedule an initial consultation.