Child Custody Disputes and Child Support in Connecticut

Our Connecticut Divorce Attorneys Put Your Child First

When a couple is preparing for divorce, one of the most important questions is about custody of the minor children. No attorney can say with one hundred percent certainty what the parenting plan or custody orders will be as the court considers many factors. A qualified Connecticut divorce lawyer at Siegel, Reilly & Conlon, LLC, can explain the child custody factors to you and explain your rights should a custody dispute ensue.

Child Custody Factors

In making or modifying a court order regarding custody, the court considers the best interests of the child. The factors that the Court considers are at least the following:

• Age of each parent
• Health of each parent
• The minor children’s relationships with each parent
• Which party demonstrates more responsibility toward the minor children
• Which parent the children seem to have a closer emotional connection

Additionally, other factors are considered:

• Who takes the minor children to school
• Who attends most of the teacher/student conferences
• Who arranges play dates
• Who usually takes the children to the doctor and other appointments
• Whether one party is absent from the home more than the other
• Whether the child is happy and thriving in the current arrangement
• The moral character, emotional stability, the desire for custody and the ability to provide personal care (rather than surrogate care)

In some custody matters, the court may appoint a guardian ad litem or an attorney for the children in order to make sure there is representation for the children’s interests. In other custody cases, a court appointed forensic might perform psychological evaluations of the minor children and parents and/or conduct a full custody evaluation. Our Connecticut divorce attorneys understand the difficulties involved with child custody cases and are here to help.

Child Support

Child support guidelines set forth what a party will pay for child support if a married couple earns $208,000 or less of combined net annual income. The parties’ net income is the factor considered when calculating the support to be paid. In cases where the parties jointly earn more than $208,000, the guidelines do not apply and the Court will consider other factors to determine the amount of support to be paid. The parent with whom the child or children do not reside, pays child support to the parent with primary custody. However, the parent with primary custody must also contribute based upon the guideline percentages.

In addition to child support, the court may also order one or both parties to maintain health insurance for the minor children, pay unreimbursed medical expenses for the minor children, as well as pay for other expenses.

If you need help with child custody or support issues, please contact a Fairfield County divorce attorney at Siegel, Reilly, & Conlon, LLC.