Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Child Custody and Visitation Papers

By Dianna Nelsun

Are your child custody papers giving you a headache because they're such a hassle? You're not along. Custody papers can be very stressful and overwhelming because they are so complicated. To make things worse, every state has different papers and forms because the laws are different. This can make it hard to find the information you need.

To ease some of the confusion, here is a list of the common custody papers that divorced parents fill out. Remember that every state is different so you may not find these exact forms with these titles. But, your state will probably have similar types of forms to these if they aren't the exact ones they do have.

To start your custody case, you fill out a paper called a summons or a petition. This paper then has to be served to the other parent. There is also a form about the proof of service of summons that the person who served the papers has to fill out and that you have to include when you file. The parent who is served the papers has to fill out a response and file it with the court.

If no response is filed, the other parent can fill out a request to enter default. This is a request for the court to rule positively about your terms and conditions because the other party didn't contest anything. In some states parents agree that the one parent will file this because they are in agreement over there custody case and they want it to run smoother.

You will need to fill out various forms about your custody and visitation schedule. There will be a form about your basic schedule and one for your holiday schedule. You may also need to fill out a paper about provisions for joint legal and physical custody.

Child support also has a group of papers that need to be filed. Both parents have to provide information about income and expenses and financial statements. If you're trying to get the child support changed then you need to fill out a separate paper. And, you may also need to fill out a paper about having child support withheld from a paycheck.

It's no wonder that most parents hire an attorney to help them sort through the papers. However, even if you don't have a lawyer, you can still get the papers filed correctly. There are many resources available. You should be able to find answers at the courthouse, at a group meeting, the library, or the internet.

About the Author:

No comments: