Charleston, South Carolina, Area Child Custody Lawyer
At the Law Office of Emily G. Johnston, we know that a divorce is painful -- especially when deciding whether and how hard to fight for their parental rights. Anxiety that you may somehow lose touch or be alienated from your children is common. Financial concerns may also be weighing heavily on your mind.
If you are facing divorce with children — or have legal concerns involving paternity — please contact us. Our Mt. Pleasant family law firm is committed to helping you carefully consider every key choice you must make, and helping you actively protect the most important people and relationships in your life.
Keeping the Focus on Children's Best Interests
It is crucial for any divorcing mother or father to understand how our courts make child custody decisions when parents cannot agree. The overriding standard is the best interest of the child. While both parties may support this adamantly in theory, it can be hard to get past anger, denial of their own limitations, or even desire for a form of revenge.
Ms. Johnston has a strong track record of negotiating agreements and establishing mutually agreeable parenting agreements through mediation. In helping you make decisions and build your case, we will carefully and thoroughly explain:
- Custody arrangements possible under South Carolina law, including clear explanations of sole custody and joint custody
- Factors that can be considered in awarding custody — and behaviors, such as dating while the case is in process — that can hurt your case for sole custody
- The impact of different custody scenarios on the child support you will be able to receive or be obligated to pay
Defending the Rights of Mothers and Fathers
In all but very extreme situations, we believe strongly that both the mother and father should stay in close contact with their children. We have obtained favorable custody outcomes for both mothers and fathers, under a wide range of circumstances.
You can also depend on us for realism and the benefit of years of experience in our South Carolina family courts. We will not encourage you to fight for custody when we know your likelihood of success is slim. Instead, we can focus on helping non-custodial parents get as much quality visitation time as possible.
If you need counsel and representation in a matter involving child custody and visitation — including any petition for modification of an existing order, or a case involving paternity and visitation — we encourage you to contact us for a caring, informative consultation.
