Termination of Visitation Rights

Only in very rare situations will a court terminate a parent's rights of visitation. The standard used by courts in reaching the decision to terminate visitation is whether visitation would endanger the child. In most cases, the decision is in the discretion of the court.

Temporary Child Support Awards

Many states provide for temporary awards of child support, pending a full evidentiary hearing after the parties have had a chance to obtain necessary information to establish the income of each parent and expenses of the child or children. Temporary support may be ordered in some situations before there is a paternity adjudication.

Joint Legal Custody Awards

"Joint legal custody" means that both parents share the right and the responsibility to make the decisions relating to the health, education, and welfare of a child.

Tortious Interference with Child Custody

Where a person interferes with another person's custody of a child or right to access, the interfering person may be subject to a claim of tortious interference with custody and can be held financially liable. This may occur where one parent takes the child and refuses to divulge the child's whereabouts. However, tortious interference may not be limited to cases where a child is concealed.

Child Support Modification for Best Interest of Child

In some circumstances a tribunal may decide that it is in the best interests of a child to modify the amount of a parent's child support obligation. More often, the modification results in an increase in the amount of support, but there are occasions when a court has found a reason to deviate downwards.