LEGAL GUIDANCE FOR UNMARRIED PARENTS
Being unmarried does not eliminate the importance of establishing clear parental rights and responsibilities. Paternity matters can involve important decisions regarding custody, placement, parenting time, and financial support. Establishing legal parentage can provide greater clarity for both parents and help create a stable foundation for addressing the child’s needs.
Attorney Kristina M. Sanders-Brown represents clients in paternity and family law matters and works to protect their interests throughout the legal process. She helps clients understand their rights and options while advocating for meaningful placement time with their children.
PATERNITY MATTERS
Establishing legal parentage can be an important first step for unmarried parents. It formally recognizes the legal relationship between a parent and child and may be necessary when addressing custody, placement, parenting time, and child support. Establishing paternity can also provide greater clarity regarding each parent’s legal rights and responsibilities.
We help parents understand the legal process involved in establishing paternity and the issues that may follow. Whether parentage is being established voluntarily or through a legal proceeding, we provide guidance to help clients understand their options and move forward with greater confidence.
CHILD CUSTODY
Custody matters involve important decisions about a child’s education, healthcare, religious upbringing, activities, and overall well-being. Establishing legal custody can help clarify which parent has responsibility for making major decisions and can provide greater structure for families moving forward.
We help parents understand the legal considerations involved in custody matters and work toward arrangements that reflect the needs of the child. Whether parents are reaching an agreement or facing a contested custody matter, we provide guidance focused on protecting parental rights and the child’s best interests.
PLACEMENT ARRANGEMENTS
Placement determines when and where a child will spend time with each parent and can play an important role in maintaining meaningful family relationships. Placement arrangements may address regular schedules, weekends, holidays, school breaks, transportation, and other parenting responsibilities that affect a child’s daily life.
We help parents understand their legal options when establishing or modifying placement arrangements. Our goal is to help create practical parenting schedules that provide consistency and stability while supporting the child’s relationship with both parents and addressing the individual circumstances of the family.
CHILD SUPPORT
Child support helps ensure that the financial needs of a child are properly addressed and may involve establishing, calculating, or modifying a support obligation. Support matters can require consideration of income, parenting arrangements, changes in circumstances, and other factors that may affect the amount of support.
We help clients understand the legal considerations involved in child support matters and what they can expect throughout the process. Whether support is being established, reviewed, or modified, we provide guidance focused on protecting the child’s needs while helping parents understand their financial responsibilities.
CRAFTING PARENTING PLANS
A parenting plan can provide clear expectations for how parents will share parenting responsibilities and spend time with their child. These plans may address regular schedules, holidays, school breaks, transportation, communication, vacations, and other situations that can arise as children grow and family circumstances change.
We help parents understand the issues that should be considered when creating or reviewing a parenting plan. Our goal is to help develop practical arrangements that support consistency and meaningful relationships while addressing the unique needs of the child and protecting each parent’s legal interests.
MODIFICATION & ENFORCEMENT
Family circumstances can change over time, and an existing custody, placement, or support arrangement may no longer work as it once did. Changes in employment, living arrangements, schedules, or a child’s needs may require an existing order to be reviewed, modified, or enforced.
We help clients understand their legal options when circumstances change or an existing order is not being followed. Whether seeking a modification or addressing an enforcement matter, we provide guidance focused on protecting parental rights, addressing current family needs, and supporting the child’s best interests.