Some factors to consider with interstate custody cases

There are many couples that live in Las Vegas that have children. Some of these couples may have homes in different states, considering that Las Vegas is in close proximity to California, Arizona and Utah. Should one of these couples decide that it is time for a divorce, they will obviously have a lot of questions about how child custody will work — especially given their residences in multiple states.

So how does interstate child custody work, and what sorts of things do parents need to be worried about if it is involved in their divorce?

The first thing to realize is that there are uniform child custody laws that govern interstate child custody matters. Only Vermont and Massachusetts don’t participate in these otherwise-uniform laws. These laws make explicit provisions for states that have a stake in the child custody case, and they dictate which state will ultimately make any decisions in a child custody case, especially cases that are contested.

It is also important to note that if you are getting a divorce and you have to move to a different state for any number of reasons (may it be a new job, a medical emergency or some other life circumstance that necessitates the move), then there are ways to work on your child custody arrangement to accommodate this shift.

However, with any interstate custody situation, it is absolutely imperative that the parents involved reach out to independent attorneys so that these issues can be properly vetted and handled.

Source: FindLaw, “Interstate Custody Arrangements,” Accessed Nov. 4, 2015