4 Key Ways Criminal Charges and Convictions Can Impact Your Family Law Case
Family law cases can be varied and complex, and the outcome of topics like divorce, child custody, or adoption can all hinge on the character of the individuals involved. If you are going through a family law dispute and have previous charges on your record or are charged with a crime during your trial, it can have the potential to severely impact the outcome of your pre-existing case. Let’s examine how:
Your parental rights could be in jeopardy
Any current or prior convictions of child abuse will make it incredibly difficult for you to get a fair amount of visitation with your child. Even if the charges were later dropped, just the fact that a cause for concern was even noticed could impact your future parental rights. The court will want to protect your children, and if you are a potential threat, this can influence them very strongly.
Your credibility is called into question
A record of charges and/or convictions, no matter how long ago, can be difficult to overcome in certain family law cases. Let’s say you are trying to adopt a child, but you have drug convictions on your record. If it was an isolated event, you will have to go to extensive lengths to prove that you are of good moral character and would not repeat the same mistake. If your charges are recent or frequent, it could limit your chances in obtaining the results you want.
A divorce can be very complicated
During a divorce, it’s common for both parties to try to cast each other in negative light in order to get what they want, whether it’s more child support or full custody. If you have criminal charges on your record that can be used essentially as fuel by your spouse, it will make it harder for the real issues of the divorce to be addressed.
Child support payments or alimony can be affected
Depending on the charges involved, your criminal record might be severe enough to rule that you do not get any custody whatsoever. While this issue is addressed above, one important part to note is that you might be responsible for a large amount of financial responsibility even if you are unable to physically be there and provide for your children.
What should you do if you’re charged with a crime during a family law case or your previous actions are being called into question? It helps to have an attorney on your side that handles both family law matters and is experienced in criminal defense. Topham Family Law can help with the multiple aspects of family and criminal law matters, so please reach out to us today to see what we can do for you.
