Child Custody Lawyers in Salem, MA

Our Supportive & Compassionate Lawyers Help Parents Make Informed Child Custody Decisions

Koiles Pratt Family Law Group is committed to protecting your interests, assets, and relationships, and understands that your bond with your child or children is usually of greatest concern.

As experienced family law attorneys, we understand that determining child custody arrangements in a divorce or separation can have long-term effects on family connections. This area of family law is critical to a Massachusetts divorce. 

Our lawyers are determined to protect your full parental rights when custody is under consideration, whether your case is in Salem, Boston, the North Shore, or elsewhere in Massachusetts.

Our team is composed of diligent, compassionate professionals who focus on helping you understand the legal process so you have the information you need to make informed decisions about child custody.

We also ensure you understand the differences between legal custody, physical custody, joint custody, and primary custody. Our attorneys work closely with you to determine the type of custody that is best for you and your children. We can then develop the recommended legal strategy to best meet your needs. 

Book an in-office or virtual consultation with a Salem child custody attorney by phone at (978) 744-7774 or reach us online. We have offices in both Salem and Boston. 

How Massachusetts Defines Child Custody

Massachusetts law recognizes four distinct custody arrangements under M.G.L. Chapter 208, Section 31:

• Sole legal custody - one parent holds the exclusive right to make major decisions about the child's education, medical care, and emotional, moral, and religious development.
• Shared legal custody - both parents share continued responsibility and involvement in those same major decisions.
• Sole physical custody - the child resides primarily with one parent, with the other parent typically receiving scheduled parenting time.
• Shared physical custody - the child has periods of residing with, and being under the supervision of, each parent.

How Massachusetts Courts Decide Custody

Massachusetts law holds that, absent misconduct, both parents' rights are equal, and custody decisions are governed by the "best interest of the child" standard. 

Courts weigh factors such as each parent's relationship with the child, each household's stability, and each parent's demonstrated ability to meet the child's needs, and give particular weight to any history of abuse when it's present in a case. 

Turning Custody Into a Working Arrangement

Once legal and physical custody are established, most Massachusetts families still need a parenting plan to make that arrangement work day to day. 

A parenting plan typically lays out the actual schedule, including holidays and school breaks, as well as how parents will handle decisions and communication in the future. 

It's often the document that turns a custody order into something a family can actually follow, and our attorneys help clients build one from the very start of a custody case.

The Presumption Toward Shared Legal Custody

Massachusetts law creates a temporary presumption in favor of shared legal custody once a divorce or custody action is filed, absent emergency conditions, abuse, or neglect. However, a judge can order temporary sole legal custody if shared custody wouldn't serve the child's best interests.

No comparable presumption exists for physical custody. Whether physical custody is shared or awarded solely to one parent is left entirely to the court's judgment based on the specific facts of the case.

Full Custody Services in Massachusetts

If, after your divorce is finalized, something changes in your life or your former spouse's life that requires an alteration to the custody agreement, we can seek a modification of the agreement. 

If your former spouse is not adhering to the rules of your visitation orders, our attorneys can help you enforce them, as the courts view noncompliance as contempt. 

We also help clients throughout Massachusetts navigate child relocation and removal matters, whether those issues arise during an initial custody case or after a divorce is finalized.