How Does Domestic Abuse Affect Child Custody?

If you have been accused or were a victim of domestic violence, there is a high chance that it will affect your child custody situation. Courts take domestic violence allegations seriously when it involves child custody. The court puts the child’s best interest first, which is why judges are conservative when granting child custody and visitations if a parent has been accused of domestic violence. The court may deny custody to a parent who has been accused of domestic violence if it determines that the parent poses a danger to the child or the other parent. The attorneys at the Edgar & Dow have the skills and experience in domestic violence law to ensure you and your family’s rights are protected—regardless of the situation you are in.

How Domestic Violence Affects Child Custody

The court may look at both past and current evidence of domestic violence convictions to determine if custody arrangements should be affected by this offense.

The judge may consider the following to decide:

• If the accused continues to pose a danger to the child
• If the alleged domestic violence were directed at the child
• If there are other criminal cases against the accused
• Physical evidence of abuse
• Police reports documenting incidents of alleged abuse
• The severity and frequency of the domestic violence

Judges are required to grant visitations rights to parents unless visitation would not be in the child’s best interests. The court may grant supervised visitation or may ban overnight visits if they believe it’s necessary.

Anaheim Family Lawyers You Can Trust!

If you were accused of domestic violence or are a victim of domestic violence, it is vital to contact an experienced attorney at the Edgar & Dow. We fight for the rights of our clients to ensure that they receive the best possible results for their case. We have been in the divorce and family law business for over 20 years, and our approach has been crafted to meet our client’s needs. Regardless of your situation, we are here to serve you and your family.

Contact our Riverside domestic violence and child custody attorneys today for a free consultation at (888) 251-9618!