Child Custody

Experienced Representation for Pennsylvania Child Custody Matters

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Child custody disputes can be among the most difficult legal matters a parent faces. Whether you are seeking custody for the first time, responding to a custody petition, or seeking to modify an existing custody order, the decisions made during the process can have a lasting impact on your family.
 

McGowan Legal LLC provides representation to parents and other parties involved in Pennsylvania custody matters, with a focus on protecting your rights while pursuing an arrangement that serves the best interests of the child.

Child Custody Services

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Representation may include:
 

• Initial custody actions — Filing or responding to a custody complaint and helping establish an appropriate custody arrangement.

• Custody modifications — Seeking changes to an existing custody order when circumstances have materially changed or the existing arrangement is no longer appropriate.

• Physical and legal custody — Advocating for primary, partial, shared, sole, or supervised physical custody, as well as appropriate legal custody arrangements.

• Custody hearings and litigation — Preparing evidence, witnesses, testimony, and legal arguments for custody conferences and hearings.

• Parenting schedules — Developing practical schedules addressing weekdays, weekends, holidays, school breaks, transportation, and other parenting-time issues.

• Relocation matters — Representing parents seeking to relocate with a child or opposing a proposed relocation.

• Emergency custody matters — Seeking appropriate court intervention when circumstances present an immediate concern for a child's safety or welfare.

• Grandparent and third-party custody — Representing grandparents and other individuals who may have standing to seek custody under Pennsylvania law.

• Enforcement of custody orders — Pursuing enforcement when a parent is not complying with an existing custody order.

• Interstate custody matters — Addressing custody disputes involving parents or children who live in different states, including jurisdiction and venue issues.
   

How Pennsylvania Courts Decide Custody
 

Pennsylvania courts determine custody based on the best interests of the child. The court considers the relevant circumstances of the family and gives substantial weight to factors affecting the child's safety, including allegations or evidence of abuse, child-protective-services involvement, and violent or assaultive behavior. Other considerations can include each parent's ability to provide appropriate care and stability, the child's relationships with siblings and other family members, the child's well-reasoned preference when appropriate, the parents' proximity and schedules, and the level of conflict between the parties.
 

There is no automatic preference for one parent over the other in a custody dispute between parents. Pennsylvania law provides for several forms of custody, including shared, primary, partial, sole, and supervised physical custody.

Every custody case is different. The facts surrounding your child's needs, your parenting history, the other parent's conduct, and the existing custody arrangement can all affect the appropriate legal strategy.
 

Protecting Your Parental Rights
 

A custody dispute is about more than determining where a child spends the night. Custody orders can address important decisions concerning education, medical care, religion, travel, holidays, transportation, communication, and day-to-day parenting responsibilities.
 

McGowan Legal LLC can help you understand your legal options, evaluate the circumstances of your case, and develop a strategy tailored to your family's circumstances.
 

If you are facing a Pennsylvania child custody dispute, contact McGowan Legal LLC to discuss your case and your options.