Do Parents Have the Same Rights to Their Child During the Coronavirus Pandemic?

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Due to the spread of the Coronavirus throughout the state of New York, residents are still adjusting to stay-at-home orders. The circumstances have changed the way people live, causing uncertainty for many. This is especially so for families of divorce who are trying to navigate how they can best handle the situation to ensure the safety of their children. In doing so, it is important to keep in mind that both parents have certain rights to their child. Continue reading below to learn more and contact an experienced New York family law attorney for assistance protecting these rights. 

What Rights do Parents Have?

When parents go through a divorce, they work either together or with the court to determine the rights they have towards their child. This can include the following:

  • The right to custody. This includes obtaining physical custody, legal custody, or both. If a parent has physical custody, it establishes the parent the child will live and spend most of their time with. If they have legal custody, it gives them the right to be part of making important decisions in the child’s life.
  • The right to visitation. It is important to know that a parent still has visitation rights even if they only have legal custody. Parents can establish how this is done when they make a parenting plan.
  • The right to support. The state of New York requires both of a child’s parents to support them financially. This is done through mandatory child support payments between a non-custodial and custodial parent until the court decides it is no longer needed.

Are these Rights Valid During Coronavirus Times?

Even though the Coronavirus has caused many changes to the way people live their everyday lives, it is important to understand that parents still have the same rights to their child that they always had. It is understandable that a parent wants to put their child’s safety first in such a difficult time. However, they are still not able to do so by breaking the terms of their custody or visitation agreement. Instead, they must reach an agreement with the other parent or request a modification from the court if they wish to keep their child from seeing that parent. Until this is granted, both parents have the same rights to their child as before the pandemic.

The law regarding child support payments also remains the same during this time. While there are many parents facing financial hardship due to the pandemic, child support agencies are still required to report any payments that are past-due. It is because of this that those facing difficult financial situations should request a modification of the frequency or amount of their payments so that they better fit these new circumstances. 

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Matters of divorce and family law should be navigated with the guidance of an experienced attorney. If you need strong legal representation regarding matters of divorce, family law, and estate law, contact the Law Offices of Susan A. Kassel, P.C. to schedule a consultation today.

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What Our Clients Are Saying

I hired Susan to represent me in a divorce matter where I was fighting for custody and to limit my wife's equitable share of our assets. I won custody of our son, kept the marital residence, kept my professional practice, kept my building and paid less than half to my wife. This was after a long-term marriage. She could persuade the court that equitable is not equal and sometimes the man does deserve to win!

‐ Dave

I first must say that I had been represented by two prior attorneys both of whom had simply taken my money and left me nothing to show for it in my custody case. They kept telling me what they were doing for me but I found out they were lying. Susan on the other hand had gotten me temporary custody and support for my children and myself within two months of hiring her. I cannot say enough about her.

‐ Craig

After talking to a few other attorneys, I hired Susan to represent me in my divorce and custody dispute. I was reluctant to go with her because she was the cheapest out of all the other attorneys I met with, but I'm so glad I did. I am 100% positive no one else would have done such a great job with my case as Susan and her staff. Her work is quality, her staff is reliable and her character is honorable. There...

‐ Linda

I had a very difficult case where I had already burned through two attorneys who were unable to get me custody of my children and complete my divorce. Susan was able to rapidly work out an agreement and not let it just malinger on like my previous experiences. She was also considerate of my financial situation unlike all of the other lawyers I had spoken to. I highly recommend her if you want complete and caring service with an in-depth knowledge of...

‐ Joanne

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The Law Offices of Susan A. Kassel, P.C. proudly serves clients throughout Suffolk County, New York in their divorce, family law, and estate planning matters. If you require the services of an experienced Suffolk County attorney, schedule a consultation with The Law Offices of Susan A. Kassel, P.C. today.

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