A divorce proceeding deals with balancing the interests of the two spouses as they begin to cut their legal ties to one another. However, when children are involved, the interests of the children will also need to be considered in Pennsylvania or in any other state. This is what one billionaire is making sure happens in his current child custody case.
The billionaire requested that the court appoint a legal representative to represent the interests of his three children throughout his ongoing divorce proceedings. The husband is asking for joint custody of his three minor children while the wife is requesting that the court give her sole custody, while leaving the husband with some visitation rights. The two divorcing parents have agreed upon an attorney to act as “guardian ad litem” for the couple’s children.
The guardian ad litem will include determining the facts relevant to the case, interviewing the parents and the children and then turning in a report for the judge to review. The guardian ad litem may also testify as a witness for cross-examination in regard to the report submitted to the court. However, the final outcome will depend upon the facts of the case as well as the legal strategies of the parties in the divorce proceedings.
Having an effective legal strategy can play a significant role in deciding the outcome of a child custody case in Pennsylvania. The judge will look at the evidence and testimony presented by both parties in order to determine the facts of the case. This will influence the judge’s decision regarding visitation rights, custody issues and child support payments.
Source: Chicago Tribune, “3 Griffin kids get a lawyer in billionaire couple’s divorce“, Becky Yerak, Sept. 12, 2014
