Fathers' Rights Attorney in Baton Rouge
Protecting Your Rights in Child Custody & Support Cases: (225) 283-1374
When going through a divorce or separation, child custody is one of the most important aspects of the decision. Unfortunately, long-held traditions still affect family courts, which means mothers often have the advantage when it comes to deciding the child custody arrangement. At The Layfield Law Firm, LLC, we can help you protect your child's best interests by ensuring your rights as a father are upheld.
Why Choose Our Fathers' Rights Lawyer?
- Nearly a decade of legal experience
- One-on-one service from your lawyer
- Personal, caring, and skilled legal support
- Free case evaluation to begin your case
This firm is committed to helping fathers ensure that their children have a stable living environment, working out custody and visitation agreements as amicably as possible. You deserve to have a legal advocate with years of experience in family law who can help you get through this daunting process as smoothly as possible. At this Baton Rouge child custody law firm, Beau Layfield handles each case personally: You can rest assured that when you hire Beau Layfield as your attorney, you get Beau Layfield and nobody else.
Contact our firm at (225) 283-1374 to schedule a free case evaluation.
Louisiana Custody: Best Interest of the Child
There are various types of custody arrangements in the state of Louisiana, and when you need to determine what is best for you and your family, many factors will be involved in this decision.
Legal custody, whether it is held by one parent or shared equally by both parents, gives a parent the right to make decisions about the child's upbringing, such as schooling, medical care, and other significant decisions. In all cases, the best interest of the child is always the top priority.
Types of Child Custody
When going through divorce proceedings in Baton Rouge, if you and your ex-spouse have children, you will have to agree on a plan for child custody. If both of you cannot work out an amicable agreement among yourselves, the court will make the decision for you.
The four major types of child custody in Louisiana are:
Sole custody
One parent has sole custody of the child. The other parent may have visitation rights, but the custodial parent has the final say on most important decisions regarding the child (an exception is relocation, which usually requires consulting the non-custodial parent). Any parent wishing to achieve sole custody must show by clear and convincing evidence that sole custody will serve the best interest of the child.
Joint custody
Louisiana law provides that joint custody is strongly preferred. Typically one parent is designated as the domiciliary parent. The domiciliary parent has the authority to make all major decisions concerning the child, but the non-domiciliary parent may ask the court to review these decisions. If no domiciliary parent is designated, then both parents have equal decision-making authority. The child may spend more time with one of the parents, but neither parent is deprived of decision-making powers.
Split Custody
An uncommon custody plan that places some of the children with one parent and the remaining children with the other parent. Because the courts are reluctant to separate siblings, this arrangement is rare in Louisiana.
Non-parental Custody
Custody is granted to someone other than the natural parent of the child, for example, a relative or close friend of the family. Normally this occurs only when it is proven that neither of the parents is suitable to raise the child.
If you have an experienced family law and divorce attorney standing by you throughout the divorce process, you will have a better chance of getting what you want for you and your children. Having a lawyer who knows about the legal issues surrounding child custody will make is possible to bring a more persuasive argument to the bargaining table and increase your chances of winning the custody plan you want.
Trying to Work out a Child Custody Plan
At The Layfield Law Firm, you will receive personalized handling of your case. Beau Layfield has abundant experience in child custody problems. When you come to The Layfield Law Firm you will work with Beau Layfield. He does not push his work off on lower level associates. You will have the advantage of Beau Layfield's successful experience and he will carefully prepare your case to assure it will be resolved as efficiently as possible.
If your divorce is already finalized, but you are unhappy with the child custody arrangement you were awarded, he may be able to help negotiate a modification that would allow more time with your child and give you more decision-making authority. His goal is to help you get a child custody arrangement that will make you and your child happy for the long-term.
Call (225) 283-1374 to reach a Baton Rouge fathers' rights lawyer at the firm today for a free consultation: Tell Beau about your case to find answers!
Hear From Our Happy Clients
At The Layfield Law Firm, LLC, your satisfaction is our priority! See for yourself what our clients have to say about working with us.
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"Beau always responded quickly to my questions, sometimes patiently just listened while I vented."As a business owner trying to juggle responsibilities with my clients and in my business, it was important to find someone who understood the value of my time while helping me navigate me through a difficult divorce.- Former Client
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"I'm blessed to have had Mr. Beau Layfield representing me throughout my divorce process."I contacted him initially because The Layfield Law Firm website specifically listed "uncontested divorce" within the areas of practice.- Former Client
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"Beau listened to my concerns and helped me come up with a strategy that worked best for my situation."During this process, there were times when I became so frustrated that I wanted to give up. Beau always brought me back to reality and made suggestions to assist with my concerns.- Former Client
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"After meeting with three attorneys about my case I choose the Layfield Law Firm."Hopefully I won't need a lawyer in the future, but if I do, I am calling Mr Layfield.- Former Client
Our FAQ
Have questions? We are here to help. Still have questions or can't find the answer you need? Give us a call at 225-283-1374 today!
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Do I have to go to court in order to obtain a divorce?
Filing divorce papers with a court is the only way you will obtain a legal separation from your spouse. This applies to any other form of legal separation, including a marriage annulment. Aside from the divorce decree itself, a court is able to assist in settling other matters related to divorce, which include child custody and the distribution of marital assets.
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Isn't divorce expensive?
A contested divorce can get expensive due to the necessity to attend trial, and document the case to present in court. Those who can work out their agreements prior to court and settle them with negotiations can not only save a lot of money, they avoid the serious stress of a court trial and exposing your personal business in court. In either case, I will help you bring the issue to a resolution with the least amount of stress, whether in a contested or uncontested divorce. I make every effort to make my services affordable so that you can have high quality legal counsel to support your case.
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Is adoption a long process?
Each adopted child has different circumstances. There are several types of adoptions that could take place, including a stepparent adoption, a private adoption or a standard adoption. Each has its own specific challenges. With the help of my firm, we will speed the process through the system as quickly as we can so that you can begin your new family and move forward with starting life together.
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Should I take a settlement offer?
It is never a good idea to settle an insurance claim before speaking with a knowledgeable personal injury attorney that has experience with injury accident cases. Insurance companies have tactics they use to deny claims, redirect fault, and withhold available compensation. An insurance claim can be a complicated process and insurance adjusters can be intimidating to accident victims. An insurance company may assert that the injuries are not as serious as claimed, and attempt to settle quickly for a low amount.
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How long will the divorce process take?
The length of your divorce proceedings will depend on different factors, which include how long it takes to serve divorce papers to your spouse, whether your spouse is willing to waive their rights to service and notice of trial, whether you have minor children from the marriage and legal delays. Typically, it will take 20 to 40 days to receive a divorce judgment from the court after papers have been served. If your spouse decides to waive his or her rights to service and notice of trial, the judgment can come swiftly. It is important to note that a judgment does not become finalized until the 30-day "appeals" window has ended.
Another important point to note is that you must be living separately from your spouse for six months (or longer if there are minor children from the marriage) before being able to file a petition, unless there are extenuating circumstances, such as your spouse committed a felony. Securing an attorney for legal representation may result in your divorce process being resolved much faster than you attempting to navigate the proceedings on your own.