This post is being written to conclude and recap my series on how alcoholism can impact child custody cases in Melbourne, Florida. I felt it was necessary to address this topic due to the fact that, for obvious reasons, it is problematic for a child when one of their parents is drinking excessively. Parents often do not know how to proceed when such a situation arises. It is important to remember, however, that you have options in dealing with the situation. The goal of my last several articles has been to provide information which will assist people in better understanding those options. It has also been my goal to provide information which will assist in the selection of a family law attorney. If you or a loved one are in need of assistance then contact my office today to speak with a Melbourne lawyer.
I have addressed several topics over my recent articles. The issues which I analyzed include:
- When Family Court Judges may be concerned over a parent’s drinking
- Steps to take when the other parent is drinking excessively
- How Family Court Judges view violence involving alcohol
- Supervised child visitation due to alcoholism
- Defending against claims of alcoholism during custody proceedings
I chose to address these topics for multiple reasons. First, it is important to understand that a Court’s only concern will always be with protecting the best interest of a child. If a parent’s drinking is endangering those interests, then a Court will take action. Second, if a parent is drinking excessively then it is important to take immediate action. Waiting to bring the matter to the attention of the Court may give the Judge an impression that the situation is not as serious as you make it out to be. Third, incidents involving violence will likely lead to a change of child custody. Fourth, if the situation is extreme then the Court may very well require that any visitation be supervised. Finally, it is not uncommon for parents to make false claims during custody proceedings. A parent must vigorously defend against such claims.
One point I stressed in each of these articles is that it is important to contact a family law attorney immediately if you or a loved one are in need of assistance. While it is understandable that parents see the situation as urgent, and may wish to take matters into their own hands, the Court will always frown upon parents who engage in self-help. I am a Melbourne child child custody lawyer who understands that situations need to be dealt with urgently. My office prides itself on providing quality service and we look forward to speaking with you. Contact us online or by telephone today.
We also serve the cities of Titusville, Cocoa, Palm Bay, Grant, Valkaria, and Rockledge, as well as in the Indian River County areas of Fellsmere, Sebastian, Vero Beach, Indian River Shores, and Orchid.