Do you or a loved one need help with a divorce, child custody, or adoption? Have you been charged with a crime in North Dakota? Are you or someone you know dealing with an eviction? If so, the team at Rowenhorst Law can help! When you come to us for assistance, you can have peace of mind knowing that we are working to the best of our abilities in order to achieve a favorable outcome on your behalf.
Child Custody
Our family lawyer at Rowenhorst Law regularly handles residential responsibility disputes in Minot, ND and has the experience and dedication to fight for your best interests and the best interests of your family.
Helping You Face Residential Responsibility Issues in North Dakota
In North Dakota, child custody is called “residential responsibility” and visitation is called “parenting time.” There are many situations in which you may need to establish or clarify parenting rights and responsibilities, including separation or divorce from a partner or spouse. Although questions of residential responsibility and parenting time can be emotional and stressful, the courts will always prioritize the best interests of the child, and you should, too. If you are working with an ex or co-parent, stay courteous whenever possible. Many couples need outside help, and you should consult an attorney anytime you are facing questions of residential responsibility and parenting time.
Contact our child custody lawyer or residential responsibility attorney in North Dakota to learn more about how we can help you through the legal process.
What are the Types of Residential Responsibility in North Dakota?
As a parent in North Dakota, you can have primary residential responsibility or share equal residential responsibility with someone else, usually a former spouse or co-parent. You can decide how to share parenting time together or ask the court for help.
- Primary Residential Responsibility – One parent has the child all or most of the time. The other parent may have specific parenting times and usually pays child support to the parent with primary residential responsibility
- Equal Residential Responsibility – Each parent has the same amount of parenting time with their children.
In some cases, there is a third option. If you have more than one child, each parent may have primary residential responsibility for at least one child. This is known as Split Residential Responsibility, and it may come into play if each child has a different preference for where they live.
Our Minot attorney understands the court’s goal, and our team will communicate with you to understand your goals, as well.
If you are going through a divorce, establishing paternity, or otherwise need to gain residential responsibility of a child, contact Rowenhorst Law at 701-340-9788 for help.
Our Minot Child Custody Lawyer and Residential Responsibility Attorney are Here to Help
Rowenhorst Law assists families struggling through separations. We provide compassionate and understanding legal support. Each case is unique and we firmly believe in putting your needs first.
Contact Rowenhorst Law at 701-340-9788 for a consultation.
How is Residential Responsibility Determined?
The court determines residential responsibility based on what is in the best interests of the children. There are thirteen categories that a judge will use to help them make decisions regarding residential responsibility if parents cannot come to an agreement on their own. The court will hear the arguments of each parent and will make a determination based upon the totality of those thirteen categories.
Unfortunately, disagreements about residential responsibility can be contentious, and the legal process is complicated, so let the experienced team at Rowenhorst Law assist you with all of your child custody/parental responsibility needs.
Here at Rowenhorst Law, we understand that your children are the most precious thing in your world. Contact Brandon Rowenhorst, a compassionate and empathetic attorney with well over a decade of experience in family law, to fight for your rights.
Who Gets Residential Responsibility in North Dakota?
When both parents are in a child’s life and fit to care for their child, the court prefers equal residential responsibility, as spending time with both parents is in the best interest of the child. If you believe your co-parent is unable to care for your child, the court will hear your argument. Unfortunately, disagreements about residential responsibility can become contentious, which has a negative impact on the child.
Our Minot residential responsibility attorney has worked with mothers and fathers who are struggling to keep or gain custody or residential responsibility of their children. This includes clients who are establishing paternity, getting separated or divorced, or facing allegations of child abuse or domestic violence.
If your relationship with your children ever comes into question, you can trust us to protect your family.
We understand the complex nature of child custody negotiation and can help you through this process. Don’t go through this alone. We are here to help you.
Adoption & Termination Legal Services
Our firm provides comprehensive legal support for families seeking to grow through adoption or for individuals involved in the complex process of terminating parental rights. It is common place in a step parent adoption to do a termination of parental rights and adoption at the same time. Under North Dakota Law once a termination of parental rights is finalized, the decision cannot be reversed, therefore due to the finality and severity of cases of this nature proper legal representation is crucial.
A common misconception in such cases is that a child support obligation will end with the termination of parental rights, but under North Dakota Law a parental termination does not end a child support obligation, rather it is the adoption of the child that does. Therefore, it is possible that an individual could inadvertently terminate their parental rights, ending their right to parenting time with the child, but still owe child support for the child.
Our firm, with an extensive history of termination/adoption cases is well versed in navigating this process to ensure that all parties involved get their respective needs met.