Madison and Janesville Child Custody Attorney

Child Custody, Placement and Child Support Services in Madison and Janesville

A divorce or a breakup is especially stressful when children are involved. At Murphy Desmond S.C., our child custody and child support lawyers will focus on resolving your matter efficiently and effectively. Like you, our top concern is achieving results that are in the best interest of your children.

Helping You With Child Custody

Our Janesville and Madison child custody lawyers have extensive experience helping families with custody and placement matters. In general, there are two types of custody that the court will grant:

• Legal custody: The parent's right to make decisions regarding education, religion, health care and other issues on behalf of the child.
• Physical custody or placement: The primary residence of the children.

Custody may be granted to both parents as joint custody, or one parent may be granted sole legal custody and/or sole physical custody. The state of Wisconsin will work to place the child with both parents if it is in the best interests of the child. The court will apply a list of factors to determine what is in the child's best interests, including:

• The relationship between the parent and child
• The needs of the child
• The ability of the parents to make joint decisions
• The geographical distance between the parents
• The wishes of the child, if he or she is old enough to make an informed decision
• History of substance or domestic abuse, if any

Our family law lawyers will always work for the best interests of the child as we try to come to an agreement that all parties can live with. If there is difficulty reaching a compromise, we can ask that the court appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the interests of the child. We can also act as a guardian ad litem in divorce cases.

Dedicated Representation in Child Support Cases

In addition to a custody plan, child support must also be determined. At Murphy Desmond S.C., our attorneys provide dedicated representation to parents who are either seeking or have been ordered to pay child support. While the amount of child support is generally determined by law, exceptions and modifications can be sought if there are special circumstances or a change in circumstances after the divorce.

Call for a Consultation With a Madison and Janesville Child Support Lawyer

If you are divorcing or are otherwise ending a relationship with the parent of your child, we can help. Contact our Madison and Janesville child custody attorneys online or call 608.807.0262 to schedule a consultation to discuss your case. We serve clients in the Madison and Janesville area and throughout Wisconsin.