Oregon State Child Custody

Child custody disputes are one of the parents' biggest, most stressful times. For fathers, these are especially crucial moments.

The courts recognize the importance of both parents remaining in a child’s life after divorce. While there are situations where one parent is favored over the other, that generally only happens in cases of abuse or neglect, which places the child’s health and safety in jeopardy.

When creating a parenting plan, the courts consider many factors. They account for the child’s relationship with each parent and other siblings. Location, physical environment, parenting ability, and more also play a role.

Related Reading: What Is A Parenting Evaluation?

In Oregon, there are two types of child custody: legal and physical. Within these two types, each may be either sole or joint.

Legal Custody: Legal custody gives a parent the right to make decisions about a child’s life. This includes education options, health care, where to live, and other major decisions.

Physical Custody: Just as it sounds, physical custody refers to which parent the child lives with.

As usual with legal matters, especially those involving children, there are shades of gray. That’s where sole and joint custody come in to complicate matters.

Sole Custody: Sole custody is when one parent, and only that parent, has legal and physical custody of a child. In these cases, one parent has the power to make all the decisions.

Joint Custody: Joint custody is the most common occurrence. This is when both parents, though not living together, cooperate to raise their child. Though there's a primary guardian, this usually involves visitation, and both parents contribute to child-rearing decisions.

A parenting plan is a court document that addresses matters related to custody. In short, it outlines the specifics of custody, visitation, and childcare decisions.

These documents are massively important because they define your involvement in your child’s life.

When creating a parenting plan, the courts consider many factors. They account for the child’s relationship with each parent and other siblings. Location, physical environment, parenting ability, and more also play a role.

Related Reading: Fathers’ Rights And Child Custody [With Infographic]

Some things are too important to leave to chance. To give yourself every advantage, look for the best child custody lawyer for your case.

• Since two cases are never the same, “best” is a relative term.
• What’s “best” in one situation may not be in another. The key is to find the right fit for you and your case's specific needs.
• What’s “best” in one case can be completely different from what's “best” in another, depending on your circumstances.

Portland has many excellent family law attorneys, but finding the right one offers a major benefit. Our managing attorney, Colin Amos, will match you with the attorney whose background best fits your needs.