Child Custody Lawyer in Honolulu

Helping Parents Understand Hawaii Child Custody Laws

Children are an essential part of most families, and when a division takes place in the household, child custody is a hotly contested issue. Parents will do whatever it takes to ensure that their child's future is protected. If you are fighting for sole child custody or creating a plan for joint custody, it is essential to retain the legal assistance of a Honolulu child custody attorney like myself. My goal is to protect and preserve your rights and the best interests of your children.

25 Years of Experience Creating Parenting Plans

As a Honolulu child custody lawyer, my firm—the Law Offices of Steve Cedillos—can offer you the legal support and guidance required to establish a solid custody arrangement for your child. I have over a quarter of a century of legal experience dealing with Hawaii child custody laws, helping my clients create beneficial, enforceable parenting plans.

How Is Child Custody Decided in a Honolulu Divorce?

When it comes to determining child custody factors, the best interests of the child will be the primary deciding factor. The court may award child custody to either one or both parents. If, however, neither of those options would prove to be in the best interests of the child, custody can be awarded to a third party, such as a grandparent. Hawaii child custody laws provide general guidelines as to what the best interest of the child means.

Some of the primary factors that the Honolulu court uses to determine child custody include:

• Which parent is most capable of providing a stable, safe and nurturing environment for the child
• The existing relationship between the child and each parent
• The child's current relationship with other family members
• Whether there is any history of emotional, physical or sexual abuse on the part of either parent
• The preferences of the child provided that he or she is of an age to provide an informed decision on the matter

Sole Custody vs. Joint Custody

One of the decisions the judge has to make in your case is whether to award sole or joint custody between you and your spouse. Sole custody means one parent will have the authority to make decisions for the child's life with regard to how they're raised, where they live, where they go to school, and other major life decisions. As a rule of thumb, courts will prefer that a child has both parents in his or her life.

There are two different types of custody in a parenting plan: legal custody and physical custody. Legal custody is the authority to make life-changing decisions for the child (healthcare, education, etc.) While one parent might have sole physical custody, i.e. the child lives with one parent, both parents can still share the responsibility of making important decisions for their child.

Making Decisions in the Best Interest of the Child

In light of the fact that child custody is largely decided based on evidence of a parent's fitness and capability to provide for the child's well-being, it is vital to have an experienced Honolulu custody lawyer on your side. Perhaps you are anxious to ensure that your spouse does not receive custody, based on your concerns about the children's safety with him or her. Maybe you fear that you will be denied custody based on allegations made by your spouse.

As your child custody attorney, one of my most important duties will be helping you craft a parenting plan that a.) benefits your child, and is b.) agreeable for you and your ex-spouse. While you might be tempted to fight your spouse on every front regarding your children, the fact is this: when parents create their own parenting plans, they have a say in how their lives will look post-divorce. Leaving it up to the judge in a trial might leave you with a result you won't like—although I am more than able to face your spouse's attorney in court.

You need an advocate to present your case and fight to defend your right to remain in your children's lives. Even if you and your spouse are willing to work together to negotiate the issue of custody, you can still benefit enormously from working with a skilled family law attorney who can help you to address the matter and reach an agreement that works for everyone.