Jessica Kirk I Recommend Her

By Author: Michael Price
Total Articles: 114
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Lawyer Jessica Kirk is a family law and child advocacy attorney. In family court cases such as divorce or child custody, opposing parties are hopefully well represented. Lawyer Jessica Kirk knows that the people who are most in need of representation, though, are the ones who are often the most overlooked: the minor children. Though in the state of Alabama, where Mrs. Kirk is a partner in the Birmingham based Crittenden Law Firm, there are laws in place to help protect children, many times their needs are neglected.

In a long, drawn out divorce case where there is heated controversy over the division of assets, children are often used as pawns to gain an advantage over an opposing partner. Lawyer Jessica Kirk will sometimes be called upon to represent a minor child or minor children in order to ensure their protection and well-being. It is important to understand what the child custody battle is all about and what is involved.

Facing divorce and a potential custody battle is, undoubtedly, one of the most emotionally and financially draining event in one's life. For many divorcing couples, arguments over not only ...
... the visitation and financial support of dependent children, but also the essential custody of those children, can lead to, or create, even more animosity within the divorcing process. As a mother experiencing a child custody battle, preparing for the legal battle, through financial and stability measures at home, will provide for the best opportunity to prevail in a child custody case.

When facing child custody, most courts look at the very essential elements of the child welfare including neglect, abandonment or abuse. When struggling with a child custody battle, a woman should pay particular attention to the emotional welfare of the children involved. For this reason, seeking out emotional support groups and child psychological counseling, will show to a court that the mother has a genuine interest in the emotional welfare of the children involves in the child custody battle.

In addition to emotional counseling, a mother facing a child custody battle should work to ensure her own personal actions are that of respectable nature. Avoiding nightlife and dating, during a child custody battle, will ensure complicating factors, such as those associated with promiscuous behavior, are not drawn into the litigation. For many women, moving on with a personal life can be challenging and yet, at the same time, some require the emotional support of another individual during this highly stressful period. The key to ensure less complication is to avoid establishing new intimate and personal relationship, especially those involving direct contact with the children involved.

Another legal issue, when facing a child custody battle, involves the financial stability of the mother. When facing child custody litigation, therefore, a woman should ensure she has obtained stable employment with an income which is sufficient to support her children, even if that support includes the anticipated child support income. For some women, this financial responsibility may require demonstration of support from close family members in an effort to sway the court into the direction of awarding custody to the mother.

And finally, domicile. As a key factor in many litigated divorce cases, in which child custody is an issue, it is not uncommon for a Judge to request an examination of the home of each parent, in the form of a social study, in an effort to obtain unbiased information with regard to the physical living arrangements available to children. For this reason, when facing a child custody battle, a woman should ensure each of her children is provided with his or her own bed and is supplied with proper clothing. While children can share bedrooms, it is not recommended that they share beds nor clothing as this is not a favorable point of consideration in a child custody battle. Also, ensure the home is safe and properly secured. Locks on doors should be in proper working order, the home should be clean and free of debris and even in homes with pools, ensure the pool is well protected from any safety issues. All of these matters may seem frivolous. However, when in a child custody battle, they can become issues of contention when the home study reports are released to both the Judge and opposing counsel.

As with any point of contention within a divorce proceeding, the most optimal outcomes, generally, are the result of communication between the divorcing couple. When mediation and communication are no longer successful, and child custody becomes a decision of the courts, following these simple steps may ensure the best opportunity for obtaining, or retaining, custody of your children.
Jessica Kirk is a University of Alabama School of Law Graduate. Jessica Kirk has many achievements including The Alabama Bar Association.