Many divorced parents will have to deal with custody issues. In addition, parents who are not married, but are getting separated, will also have to deal with custody issues. What many individuals who are going through a divorce and have kids do not know is that Pennsylvania divorces do not have to be finalized before custody is decided.
In this next question, firm partner Kevin Zlock, a Bucks County child custody lawyer, addresses this issue.
Question: My husband and I are getting a divorce, and we have children. Does our divorce have to be finalized before custody is decided?
Answer: That’s a good question. You don’t need to be married to have kids, obviously, and hence, there can be a custody issues with unmarried parents. So they can be handled separately as far as married parents go as well.
So you can file custody first. You can do the divorce first, or do them at the same time. They don’t cross. You do not need to attach it to the divorce complaint; you can if you wish. It’s less expensive to do it that way, sometimes, but it’s not required.