Stillwater Child Custody Attorney

Fighting For The Best Interest of Your Children

Retaining a compassionate and experienced child custody attorney is an important step in ensuring your child’s or children’s well-being during the difficult process of divorce or paternity proceedings. Our lawyers protect your children’s best interests while ensuring you are properly prepared to navigate the process with confidence and reach the most ideal resolution.

Do you have questions regarding child custody laws in Oklahoma? We have answers. Below you'll find information regarding sole and joint custody, how custody is determined in the state of Oklahoma (what factors are used), and how child custody orders might be modified. If you still have questions, don't hesitate to contact our Stillwater law firm.

Oklahoma State Joint & Sole Child Custody Laws

Joint Custody in Oklahoma

Custody is defined in Oklahoma statute Title. 43 §112. Joint legal custody occurs when both parents share in the responsibilities of making decisions that will affect their child’s upbringing, such as education, medical decisions, and more. 

Joint custody arrangements can require a parenting plan which will require a judge’s signoff. These plans may consist of visitation schedules, school attendance, decisions concerning health care and education, and more. 

Sole Custody in Oklahoma 

Sole legal custody means that only one of those parents will have to make those decisions.

"Birdnesting" in Oklahoma

The state also recognizes split custody decisions and "birdnesting," or when a child or children stay in a single home and both parents rotate their time in that home on a set schedule.

How Is Child Custody Determined?

Oklahoma's child custody laws are adapted from the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act, or UCCJEA. It takes into account a wide variety of factors. The goal in a child custody matter, however, is to make sure that the child’s best interests are looked after.

Some of the factors involved in determining child custody include:

What Constitutes an Unfit Parent in Oklahoma?

If a parent is unable or unwilling to provide the necessary care, protection, and support to a child, then Oklahoma might deem that parent as “unfit”. There are a couple of specific situations that would constitute a parent as “unfit”:

• If a parent or someone the parent is living with has been convicted of domestic abuse within the last 5 years, then that parent is considered “unfit.”
• If a parent or someone the parent is living with has been convicted of a crime against children (abuse, neglect, kidnapping, rape, etc.), then that parent is considered “unfit”.

Can Child Custody Be Modified?

Child custody can be modified if circumstances change and it is no longer in the best interest of the child to leave things as they are. From start to finish, you can count on our team to provide you with the support and information you need. We are passionate about making sure our clients have thoroughly explored all their options and been given the resources necessary to have the best chance at success. We are available to answer your questions and address your concerns whenever you have them.

Learn how our child custody attorney in Stillwater, OK, can help by contacting us online today or call (405) 331-6761. 

Creating a Parenting Plan

When going through a child custody case, it is important to create a parenting plan that outlines the specific details of how you and the other parent will share responsibilities and make decisions regarding your child's upbringing. Our experienced child custody attorney in Stillwater, OK can help you create a comprehensive and customized parenting plan that takes into account the unique needs and best interests of your child.

A well-crafted parenting plan can address various aspects, including:

• Residential schedule: Determining where the child will live and when they will spend time with each parent.
• Decision-making authority: Outlining how major decisions regarding the child's education, healthcare, religion, and extracurricular activities will be made.
• Communication: Establishing guidelines for communication between parents, including methods and frequency of communication.
• Holidays and vacations: Allocating specific time for the child to spend with each parent during holidays, school breaks, and vacations.
• Transportation: Addressing how the child will be transported between parents' residences and other locations.
• Dispute resolution: Outlining a process for resolving any disagreements or disputes that may arise in the future.

By creating a comprehensive parenting plan, you can ensure that both you and the other parent have a clear understanding of your rights and responsibilities, fostering a more stable and harmonious co-parenting relationship for the benefit of your child.

Prioritizing the Needs of Your Child

Perhaps no matter is more important in a divorce than making sure your children are fully taken care of. Unfortunately, many times both parents cannot come to an agreement on how this should be accomplished. Whether you and the other parent are on the same page about raising your children, or if you need legal help to come to an agreement, you can trust Campbell Law Office, PLLC.

Our founding attorney, Alyssa Campbell, is backed by more than 20 years of family law experience. Over the years, she has helped countless families in Stillwater, OK and the surrounding areas resolve difficult issues and pursue what is best for their loved ones. Alyssa Campbell, can help guide you through this process. Our role is to be both advocate and counselor. Our lawyers advocate aggressively for clients' rights and stand up for them when they can’t stand up for themselves. While we firmly believe that attending mediation and working through the decisions with the client is best, we also believe in being realistic, which is why we stand by their side, no matter what path the case may take. Our clients in Stillwater need someone to listen to them and someone who can tell them the best way to respond to difficult situations. They need resources and we try to help them find those as well. Our attorneys want all of our clients to understand the law, the process, their case, their legal rights, and their options.