Child Custody

Child Custody Lawyers in Des Moines

Under Iowa law, there are two components to child custody: legal custody and physical custody. Legal custody concerns the right to make important decisions about your child's upbringing. Physical custody concerns where your child will live.

At the law firm of Kragnes & Associates in Des Moines, Iowa, we offer a free initial consultation to discuss your family situation and explain the standards that Iowa courts apply in child custody cases. In any case involving children, the courts will make decisions based on the best interests of the child.

Legal Custody Is Usually Shared After Divorce

Iowa courts favor joint legal custody of children, unless there are strong reasons why one parent should have sole legal custody.

With joint legal custody, parents need to preserve lines of communication during and after a divorce so they can discuss major issues such as education, medical care and religion. Day-to-day decisions are made by the parent the child is staying with at the time.

Physical Custody and Visitation

You and your spouse can expect to have joint legal custody of your children − unless the court has reasons to think the child would not be safe with one parent.

Physical custody can be fifty-fifty, meaning the child will spend an approximately equal number of overnights with each parent. However, in most cases, one parent will have primary residential care or custody, and the other will have visitation. A typical visitation schedule may be one evening during the week, alternate weekends, alternate holidays and an extended period of time during the summer.

Child Custody Modifications

You can seek a court-ordered modification of your child custody arrangement after your divorce if there has been a substantial change in your circumstances that affect your child's well-being. One issue that may arise is relocation. A parent with primary physical custody cannot remove the children from the state without approval from the court.

Free Initial Attorney Consultation

To discuss your child custody case with one of our lawyers, call (866) 409-0221 toll free or fill out the contact form on this site. We serve clients in Des Moines and throughout Iowa.