Sole Custody, Fact or Myth?

There are a lot of myths surrounding divorce and parental custody. This week on #GathingsLawTalk, Gathings Law Attorney, Kim Vice, is debunking some of those myths.

For instance, when a parent is awarded sole custody, some people have questions as to what that means for the other parent and visitation rights. Generally speaking, even if one parent is awarded sole custody, the other parent will still be granted visitation. However, there are always exceptions to this rule. This depends heavily on whether or not the other parent poses a potential risk to the child’s wellbeing and safety.

The party who is awarded sole custody has sole care, custody, and control of the child. In other words, they are the decision maker and the child is with them most of the time. In most cases however, the other parent will be able to see the child through visitation, whether it be standard or supervised.

Additionally, Courts are encouraging families to work together so that even when the marriage fails, the children involved have a healthy relationship with both of their parents.

At Gathings Law, we will always fight for you and your children’s best interests. We know that every case is unique and that the best interests and welfare of the children come first. We have decades of experience handling custody cases. If you have questions regarding custody, call Gathings Law and ask to speak to one of our divorce attorneys. The initial consultation is free.

As a reminder, on our #GathingsLawTalk weekly series, Gathings Law discusses different legal points of interest every week on our social media. Follow us on social media and tell us what you’d like to hear about next; we’d love to hear from you. Follow @GathingsLaw on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For all things business, click here to follow our business series, #GathingsLawBizTalk, on LinkedIn.

Joint Custody, Fact or Myth?

There are a lot of myths surrounding divorce and parental custody. This week on #GathingsLawTalk, Gathings Law Attorney, Kim Vice, is debunking some of those myths.

For instance, when it comes to a joint or shared custodial agreement, many people are often under the impression that this means both parents will have equal time with the child. However, to many people’s surprise, this is a myth.

In most joint or shared legal custody arrangements, both parents have time with the child, however, not equal time. The parents will have joint decision making and parental responsibility. This means that both parents will have a say in the decisions that pertain to their child’s well being. However, the Court will generally designate one parent as the primary physical custodian and the other parent as the secondary physical custodian. The child will live with the primary, while the secondary will have visitation. Additionally, Courts are encouraging parents to work together so that children with separated or divorced parents can have quality time with both parents.

At Gathings Law, we will always work in the best interest of you and your children. We have decades of experience handling custody cases. We know that every case is unique and that the best interests and welfare of the children come first. If you have questions regarding custody, call Gathings Law and ask to speak to one of our divorce attorneys. The initial consultation is free.

As a reminder, on our #GathingsLawTalk weekly series, Gathings Law discusses different legal points of interest every week on our social media. Follow us on social media and tell us what you’d like to hear about next; we’d love to hear from you. Follow @GathingsLaw on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For all things business, click here to follow our business series, #GathingsLawBizTalk, on LinkedIn.

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley's Wife Files for Divorce

From ABC 3340:

The Office of Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley released the following statement regarding the First Lady filing for divorce:

"The Governor asks that you please respect the privacy of the Bentley family during this difficult time.{} There will be no further comment."

First Lady Dianne Bentley is asking for a divorce. She filed court documents Friday morning about half an hour before making an appearance with her husband, Governor Robert Bentley.