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Custody Lawyers Serving York Region

When you are looking to achieve custody of or access to your children, nothing is more important than having the highest quality legal help. Donnell Law Group understands the ins and outs of this emotionally trying and legally complicated process—we’ve been helping Keswick, Georgina, Aurora, Newmarket, East Gwillimbury, Bradford, Richmond Hill, and Markham residents defend their families for more than 20 years.

Having a family lawyer with you is crucial when dealing with family-based legal problems. Our Keswick-based team of child custody lawyers provides the manpower and expertise needed to help you protect your family during this trying time.

Dedicated to Keeping You Informed

Wherever you might need a child custody lawyer —Aurora, Newmarket, Bradford, Richmond Hill, Markham, or anywhere in the York area—Donnell Law Group stands ready to assist you in securing the most favorable outcome, for both you and your children. With more than 75 years of combined expertise, our skilled family lawyers will help you understand exactly what access and custody cases mean from a legal standpoint. Our honest assessment of your situation will give you the information you need to make intelligent decisions about your case.

Understanding the Difference Between Custody and Access

From a legal standpoint, parenting agreements in Ontario involve two different, but related, legal concepts: custody and access. In general, “custody” sets out the right of a parent to make all of the most important decisions concerning their well-being and day-to-day living. Access more specifically sets out how much time a child spends under a parent’s distinct care. Both can be determined either by mutual agreement between the involved parties or by court order, though mutual agreements typically provide far more flexibility than can be provided by court order. Thus, if there is even the slightest chance that your spouse will unfairly seek full custody of your children, or otherwise usurp access to your children, seek consultation with a child custody lawyer.

Custody

Ontario law allows for a variety of custody arrangements, though only one parent is usually awarded custody in disputes resolved by court order. Custody agreements negotiated by compromise provide the best means of coming up with solutions that best meet the needs and circumstances of each parent and the children. Types of custody arrangements include:

• Sole Custody—One parent is given the right to make decisions relating to care and upbringing of the child.
• Joint Custody—Allows both parents to share responsibility for important childcare decisions.
• Split Custody—While rare, this arrangement allows parents to split custody arrangements in families with more than one child, with each parent accorded custody of different children.

Access

In most situations, children will benefit from continuing a close relationship with both parents after a divorce or separation. As a result, access is usually determined separately from custody.

In an ideal situation, both parties will be able to negotiate access agreements via experienced family lawyers. However, if the court must become involved, the decision will likely be based on allowing the children to stay in contact with both parents.

Your Case is in Good Hands: Call Us Today!

Again, it is imperative that you contact a child custody lawyer as soon as you believe custody or access dispute is possible. If you might need legal assistance from York area child custody lawyers, Aurora, Newmarket, Bradford, Richmond Hill, and Markham inclusive, our family lawyers can help you surmount this emotionally distressing time. We provide legal consultation and representation designed to ensure the best outcome for all parties, so call us today for an initial consultation.