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Filing for Custody is an important first step in protecting your children.  Usually, it is better to file as soon as possible. Our Lawyer can help you prepare a Complaint for Custody and represent you and your children in court. The custody process can be overwhelming; hiring an experienced attorney like Melissa Clark-Ford will avoid common pitfalls and mistakes that could have permanent effects on your custody rights.

There are two ways to get a custody order. You can have a hearing with a Judge or you can reach a written agreement with the other party called a Consent Order. Our attorney has experience helping parents in mediation to reach a Consent Order and representing parents in court. 

Parents who do not follow Custody Order may be in contempt.  To enforce a Custody Order, the Judge must determine that a parent "willfully disobeyed" a valid order of court. Once the Judge makes that determination, the offending parent can be fined, order to provide make-up time for missed custody exchanges, go to jail, or even pay attorney fees to the other parent. 

You can make changes to your Custody Order by filing a Motion for Modification. This notifies the court that the child's best interests have substantially changed and new custody provisions will be required. Modification can be accomplished by agreement between parents through a Consent Order or by a hearing in Court. Mecklenburg County assigns the same judge to all custody matters in a family as part of the "one-family, one judge" rule. This means that the same judge assigned the original custody case also hears the request for modification. Knowing how judges like to see evidence and what evidence is important in a custody modification can be tricky. Our attorney, Melissa Clark-Ford has successfully modified orders for families for over a decade. She knows how to get results.

As much as possible, the court system tries to isolate children from the legal process. However, sometimes that isn't possible and the Judge needs to hear directly from the child about what happened at a parent's home or about where the child wants to live. In those circumstances, the most ideal situation is for the child to talk to the Judge privately in the Judge's chambers. Sometimes, however, a child will have to testify in court. What options are best for you and your child depend on a variety of factors including the circumstances of your case, the child's age, and the child's maturity. Having an experienced attorney is especially important in these situations. 

Contact us now to schedule a confidential consultation with our award winning attorney.