Child Custody and Visitation
Few family law issues matter more than your children.
When parents separate or divorce, decisions about where a child will live, how time will be shared, and who will make important decisions can feel overwhelming.
At The Cooley Law Firm, we keep the focus where it belongs: your child’s safety, stability, and well-being. We help parents protect their relationship with their children while creating parenting plans that reduce conflict—not create more.
Understanding Child Custody in Nevada
Nevada law recognizes two types of custody:
Legal Custody
The right to make major decisions for your child, including:
Education
Medical care
Religious upbringing
Physical Custody
Where the child lives and how parenting time is shared.
Custody can be:
Joint – shared by both parents
Primary – one parent has most of the time and/or decision-making authority
Nevada courts generally start with the presumption that joint custody is in a child’s best interest—but every family is different.
Sole Custody
Sometimes, shared decision-making is not realistic or safe. In those cases, sole custody may better protect a child.
What Sole Custody Means
Sole Legal Custody
One parent makes all major decisions.Sole Physical Custody
The child primarily lives with one parent; the other may have visitation.
When Courts Award Sole Custody
Nevada courts prefer joint custody when possible.
However, sole custody may be appropriate when joint custody would place a child at risk or is unworkable.
Courts may consider sole custody in cases involving:
Domestic violence or abuse
Substance abuse or addiction
Neglect or abandonment
Serious mental-health concerns
Extreme conflict or inability to co-parent
Long-term absence or lack of involvement by a parent
Under NRS 125C.0035, the child’s best interest is always the court’s primary concern.
How Custody Decisions Are Made
If parents agree on a parenting plan, courts usually approve it—so long as it serves the child’s best interest.
When parents cannot agree, the court considers factors such as:
The child’s wishes (depending on age and maturity)
Each parent’s ability to encourage a healthy relationship with the other parent
The parents’ ability to cooperate
The level of conflict between parents
Each parent’s mental and physical health
The child’s emotional, physical, and developmental needs
The child’s relationship with each parent and siblings
Any history of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
Any history of child abduction
Every case is unique. The court’s focus is always the child.
Visitation and Parenting Time
Joint Physical Custody
Joint physical custody means the child spends at least 40% of the time with each parent.
Common schedules include:
Week-on / week-off
2-2-3 or 3-4-4-3 rotations
Alternating weekends with mid-week time
Custom schedules based on work, school, or travel
Primary Custody and Visitation
When one parent has primary physical custody, the other parent typically receives visitation (parenting time).
Visitation may be:
Unsupervised, or
Supervised, when needed for the child’s safety
Even when one parent has sole custody, the other parent may still have parenting time—unless contact would be harmful.
The goal is consistency, predictability, and emotional stability for the child.
Parenting Plans that Reduce Conflict
At The Cooley Law Firm, we help parents create detailed parenting plans that address:
Weekly schedules
Holidays and school breaks
Travel and relocation
Communication guidelines
Dispute-resolution methods
Clear plans help prevent misunderstandings and future conflict.
Modifying or Enforcing Custody Orders
Life changes—and custody orders sometimes must change, too.
We assist clients with:
Modifying custody or visitation
When there is a substantial change in circumstances (relocation, work changes, health issues)Enforcing existing orders
When a parent does not follow court-ordered custody or visitation terms
Our focus is always protecting your child and your parental rights.
Why Choose The Cooley Law Firm
Experienced Advocacy
Extensive experience in complex custody and relocation casesChild-Centered Approach
Every recommendation is guided by what benefits your childPersonalized Solutions
Parenting plans tailored to your family’s needsRespectful Representation
We seek cooperation when possible—and litigate when necessary
Protect What Matters Most
Custody cases are stressful—but you do not have to face them alone.
Attorney Shelly Booth Cooley and her team help parents make informed decisions that protect children and preserve meaningful parent-child relationships.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Contact The Cooley Law Firm to schedule a consultation with Shelly Booth Cooley, a Las Vegas family law attorney, Certified Family Law Specialist, and Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the International Academy of Family Lawyers.
We are here to help you build a stable, secure future for your family.
