Child Custody Attorney TAMRA A. SPRADLIN
  • Home
  • Attorney Profile
  • Practice Areas
    • Family Law >
      • Divorce
      • Common Law Marriage in Oklahoma
      • Separation
      • Annulment
      • Child Custody
      • Paternity
      • Child Support
      • Visitation
      • Motion to Enforce Visitation
      • Relocation
      • Grandparent's Rights
      • Guardianship
      • Step-Parent Adoption
      • Mediation
    • DOMESTIC VIOLENCE >
      • Victim Protective Orders
    • Criminal Defense >
      • Verdicts
  • Contact
  • Helpful Info
    • Law Office Procedure
    • Justia Responsive Law Pledge
    • Suggested Reading List
    • Parental Alienation
  • Reviews
  • Blog

Child Custody


Child Custody
​

It is the policy of this state to assure that minor children have frequent and continuing contact with parents who have shown the ability to act in the best interests of their children and to encourage parents to share in the rights and responsibilities of rearing their children after the parents have separated or dissolved their marriage, provided that the parents agree to cooperate and that domestic violence, stalking, or harassing behaviors as defined in Section 109 of this title are not present in the parental relationship. To effectuate this policy, if requested by a parent, the court may provide substantially equal access to the minor children to both parents at a temporary order hearing, unless the court finds that shared parenting would be detrimental to the child. 43 O.S. 110.1

​An initial Petition for Paternity or Petition for Divorce or Separation often asks for Sole Custody.  That request does not mean, in and of itself, that the final award at the end of the case will be Sole Custody.  The first step in the process of establishing custody in Oklahoma County District Court, is to request a Temporary Order.  The TO hearing is your first hearing in front of a Judge.  At that time, the Judge will make a temporary determination of which parent should have custody and enter a temporary visitation schedule.  In a Divorce, there is a legal presumption, quoted above, that the parents should share the child(ren) in equal amounts of time.  This presumption does not apply if Domestic Violence is present.

What does it mean to have Joint Custody vs. Sole Custody?  
​
Many people are not informed about the actual legal definition of Sole vs. Joint Custody. Those terms do not mean how much time you will spend with your child(ren).  For example, Joint Custody does not mean equal time. Visitation time spent with the child(ren) can be equal, regardless of the parental designation of Sole or Joint Custodian. 
Sole Custody means that parent makes the decisions about the child, without being required to consult the other parent about what school the child goes to, activities for the child, or what daycare the child attends, for example. ​
Joint Custody means that both parents make the decisions about your child(ren) together.  ​With Joint Custody, one parent can be designated as the primary decision maker in the event of a dispute. 


​
​Connect:

​Tamra A. Spradlin,
​Attorney at Law

3428 NW 178th
Edmond, OK 73012
(405) 752-6000
​


​Business Hours


Mon: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tue:   9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wed: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thu:   9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Fri:     9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Sat:    Closed
Sun:   Closed


​
THE LAW OFFICE OF TAMRA A. SPRADLIN SERVES CLIENTS LOCATED IN ​THE OKLAHOMA CITY METRO AREA; EDMOND; CHICKASHA; EL RENO; KINGFISHER; ENID; NORMAN; LAWTON; AND ALL COUNTIES IN OKLAHOMA.  

No portion of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of Tamra A. Spradlin.  Copyright 2011 www.tamraspradlin.com  All rights are reserved. Tamra A. Spradlin, P.C. is a professional corporation of the listed attorney.  The information contained within this website is intended for general information purposes only, and does not create an attorney client-relationship.
​
HOME
FAMILY LAW
DIVORCE
CHILD CUSTODY
PATERNITY
​DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
​VICTIM PROTECTIVE ORDERS
GUARDIANSHIP
CHILD SUPPORT
VISITATION


CONTACT
​ATTORNEY BIO
​HELPFUL CLIENT INFO
RETAINER FEES
​REVIEWS
​
​DIVORCE AND CHILD CUSTODY
BLOG OF TAMRA SPRADLIN

LAWYER PLEDGE
​READING LIST
PARENTAL ALIENATION

  • Home
  • Attorney Profile
  • Practice Areas
    • Family Law >
      • Divorce
      • Common Law Marriage in Oklahoma
      • Separation
      • Annulment
      • Child Custody
      • Paternity
      • Child Support
      • Visitation
      • Motion to Enforce Visitation
      • Relocation
      • Grandparent's Rights
      • Guardianship
      • Step-Parent Adoption
      • Mediation
    • DOMESTIC VIOLENCE >
      • Victim Protective Orders
    • Criminal Defense >
      • Verdicts
  • Contact
  • Helpful Info
    • Law Office Procedure
    • Justia Responsive Law Pledge
    • Suggested Reading List
    • Parental Alienation
  • Reviews
  • Blog