Lakeland Temporary Custody Attorney
In most court cases involving custody, the children stay with one or both parents. However, there are situations in which neither parent has custody. The children may end up staying with a family member for a temporary period.
A child may stay with grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, and cousins. The court can award temporary custody to an extended family member even without parental consent. This can happen in cases where the parent cannot or will not care for the child. Therefore, it is in the child’s best interest to be placed with an extended family member.
Family members may get temporary custody of the children as you deal with a family law matter. Lakeland temporary custody attorney Darla K. Snead, P.L. Attorney at Law can help you end the custody so you can have your children back with you again.
Why Would a Family Member Get Custody?
You may not have known that an extended family member could get temporary custody of a child. Here are some examples of this happening:
- A parent is serving in the military.
- The parent is unfit or unable to care for the child.
- The parent abandons the child.
- There is abuse or neglect by the parent.
- The child requires special care that the parent cannot provide.
- A parent has a severe illness or medical condition.
What to Know About Temporary Child Custody
Temporary custody granted to an extended family member has no end date. A judge may set an end date in some cases, but typically, there is no expiration date.
So how does the parent get the child back? It could happen in one of two ways. The family member could voluntarily relinquish custody back to the parent. The child’s parents could also petition the court to end the custody. In this case, the court will review the case to determine if going back to the parent is in the child’s best interest. The judge could deny the parent’s custody petition if they find it is not in the child’s best interest.
Factors that determine whether or not custody would be in the child’s best interest include:
- The safety of the child
- The parent’s ability to provide the child with a stable home
- Allegations of domestic violence, neglect, or sexual abuse
- Allegations of substance abuse
- Whether the parent can provide a safe, stable home for the child
- A parent’s mental and physical health status
- The ability of the parent to care for the child
Contact Darla K. Snead, P.L. Attorney at Law Today
When children are involved in a divorce, sometimes someone other than a parent may get custody of the children. A family member may get temporary custody as the issues get resolved.
Whether you are dealing with a divorce case, paternity case, or custody battle, Darla K. Snead, P.L. Attorney at Law can assist you. Keep in mind that the courts keep the best interests of the child in mind. Call our office at (863) 619-5291 to schedule a consultation with our Lakeland temporary custody by extended family lawyer today.
