Child Custody

Child Custody Lawyers in Worcester, MA

Facing a family law case? Hire one of the skilled child custody lawyers in Middlesex and Hampden Counties from the law offices of Rudolf, Smith, Griffis & Ruggieri, LLP

Married and unmarried parents of children can find themselves arguing about custody, parenting time, and child support when their relationship comes to an end. The Worcester family law attorneys at Rudolf, Smith, Griffis & Ruggieri, LLP can provide knowledgeable representation to help advocate for your interests and for the best interest of your children.

When you retain one of the child custody lawyers in Worcester, MA from the law offices of Rudolf, Smith, Griffis & Ruggieri, LLP, you benefit from all of the following:

50 years of combined experience
The resources and knowledge to look at your case from multiple angles
We keep a small case load so we can devote a lot of time to each case
Diligent case preparation and aggressive representation

Types of Child Custody

There are two types of child custody: legal and physical. Physical custody determines where a child will primarily reside, and the child’s school registration as well as contact information for medical or other purposes will be from the parent with physical custody. Legal custody, on the other hand, determines a parent’s right to make decisions about the general welfare of a child.

Legal custody decisions include issues such as:

Religious education and training
Health care
Choice of schools
Dental care
Extracurricular activities
Tutoring

Under Massachusetts child custody laws, there is no presumption that custody must be shared equally between parents. Parents maintaining separate households should determine if they can have joint custody, where they both share equal responsibilities, or sole custody, where one parent has the primary responsibility for the child. If the parents cannot agree on custody issues, the court will make the decision.

Parenting Time & Child Custody

Commonly known as visitation, parenting time addresses the amount of responsibility of each parent to care for a child in their respective households on a weekly basis and during the holidays. Like custody, there is no presumption that parenting time should be equal between homes. The Worcester lawyers for child custody at Rudolf, Smith, Griffis & Ruggieri, LLP can provide compassionate representation for child custody disputes.

Factors to consider when determining parenting time include:

The age of the child
The child’s school or daycare location
The child’s school or activity schedule
The work schedule of each parent
The availability of both parents on the weekend
The appropriateness of each parent’s home

Our Worcester lawyers for child custody can help you file the appropriate documents with the court to initiate or defend against a complaint. We can also work hard to get you into court quickly to obtain temporary orders of custody, visitation and support. In addition, our team can help you properly gather evidence to support your rights as a parent.

Request a FREE Consultation or Call (508) 570-3037. We are devoted to effective trial lawyering. We know how to deliver aggressive defense strategies and we know how to speak to juries and judges alike.

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Why Choose Rudolf, Smith, Griffis & Ruggieri, LLP?

What Sets Us Apart

Trial Preparedness
Our attorneys know the value of examining evidence, hiring investigators, and interviewing witnesses. We can go to court on your behalf at any moment.
Personal Attention
We purposely limit our caseload to make sure our clients receive one-on-one attention. We treat you like one of our own because you deserve it.

Strategic Approach
To represent our clients effectively, we must have an effective strategy put into place. We are calculated, prepared, and primed to take action.
Collaborative Insight
We believe in working together as a unified team. By working collaboratively, each team member can bring unique critical thinking solutions to the table.

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The communication was clear, precise, and consistent; they answered all of our questions with a lot of patience.

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They were truly the best attorneys I could have asked for.

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"I Highly Recommend Him for Any Legal Aid"
Him and his staff are attentive, and respectful when it came to dealing with this case.

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"Highly Recommended"
From day one Sean Smith was companionate, smart, professional and communicated well with me through the entire process and finally was able to win the case.

- Luke Mwangi
"I Appreciate How Quickly He Took Action"
Ben explained everything clearly, which eased my worries.

- Robert Stalvey
"My Experience With Murphy & Rudolf LLP Was First Rate"
Sean Smith and his associate, Liz Halloran took my case to trial and won, giving me my life and livelihood back.

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"Do Not Think Twice on Having This Gentleman Represent You, You Will Not Regret It"
Attorney Sean Smith is one of the best lawyers, if not the best lawyer I could have ever had handle my case.

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"We Were Able To Get a Deal That the Public Defender Said Was Out of the Question"
I felt comfortable with what he had to say about the case and decided to hire them to tackle my legal issue.

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