Ronnie Santana is the founding attorney at Santana Law PLLC, serving Minneapolis and surrounding areas with dedicated child custody and parenting time representation. With experience handling complex custody disputes, he takes a client-first approach focused on protecting parental rights and the best interests of the child. Ronnie is committed to achieving fair, workable custody outcomes for the families he represents.
Minneapolis Child Custody Lawyer
Child Custody Attorney in Minneapolis, MN
Every parent wants what’s best for their children, but divorcing spouses often disagree about what this means when it comes to child custody arrangements. If you’re concerned about how custody will be assigned following your divorce, you can hire a Minneapolis child custody lawyer to protect your parental rights and ensure that your child’s best interests are well-represented.
Trust Santana Law, PLLC
Ronnie Santana, the founding attorney at Santana Law, PLLC, has been practicing family law for years. In that time, he has become intimately familiar with Minnesota child custody laws and how they apply to different family situations. Whether you’re concerned that your spouse might seek sole custody of your child during a divorce or you’re a grandparent seeking custody of a child who can’t be cared for by their parents, he can help.
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Why Hire a Child Custody Lawyer in Minneapolis?
Child custody is often a contentious issue. However, many cases are resolved outside of court. Although Minnesota courts generally prefer a 50/50 split of parenting time, overall, mothers maintained 80% of single-parent homes in 2022. Across Minnesota, single-parent homes accounted for 28% of all households in 2024, compared to the national average of 34%. Whether you’re the child’s mother or father, you should work with a lawyer to protect your parental rights.
When you hire a child custody lawyer, you’re not just guaranteeing that your parental rights will be respected. You’re ensuring that the end result of any custody battle reflects what will truly be in the best interests of your child. If you’re one of the 10% of parents who must go to court to resolve custody issues, you’ll also get courtroom representation that could help you retain full or partial custody of your child.
Joint vs. Sole Custody in Minnesota
The state of Minnesota recognizes two types of child custody:
- Joint custody. When parents have joint custody of a child, they both have the legal authority to make decisions about the child’s upbringing and parenting time.
- Sole custody. If one parent gets assigned sole custody, they make all of the important decisions about the child’s well-being. The non-custodial parent often seeks visitation rights.
Factors Affecting Custody Rights in Minneapolis
When Minnesota courts decide who gets custody of a child, they base the decision not on what the parents want but on what will be in the best interests of the child. There are many factors that can influence the decision as to whether to assign sole or joint custody, and who will retain custody of the child in the event that the court does assign sole custody. They include:
- Which parent has been the child’s primary caretaker
- What the child’s preference is, if they are old enough
- The mental and physical health of both parents
- The child’s educational needs
- The need to provide a stable home environment
- The ability to interact with members of the child’s extended family
- Anticipated adjustment to a new school or community
- The age and sex of the child
- Interactions with other household members
- Evidence of parental drug or alcohol abuse
- Evidence of parental use of excessive discipline
- The presence of emotional abuse
The court will take all these factors and others into consideration when deciding who should get custody of a child. If you don’t want to harm your chances of receiving sole or joint custody, you should continue to provide a stable home for your child and should avoid badmouthing the other parent or otherwise trying to manipulate the situation.
Non-Parental Custody Arrangements
In some cases, neither of a child’s parents can provide the care required. When this happens, grandparents or other family members often petition the court to receive custody of the children. If you’re trying to get custody of one or more children in your family due to an inability of their parents to provide adequate care, you should seek the help of a family lawyer who can help you present your case at the Hennepin County District Court.
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FAQs
What Is the Biggest Mistake in a Custody Battle?
The biggest mistake in a custody battle is to allow your emotions to come before the child’s best interests. This issue often manifests as badmouthing the other parent or attempting to alienate the child from them, both of which can negatively impact not just your case but also your child’s emotional well-being.
How Much Does a Child Custody Lawyer Cost in MN?
How much a child custody lawyer costs in MN varies depending on the specifics of your case and the experience level of your lawyer. If you and your spouse can come to an equitable agreement regarding child custody, it will cost less to hire a lawyer than it would if you were to get embroiled in a serious custody battle.
What Looks Bad in a Child Custody Case?
There are many actions that can look bad in a child custody case. They include:
- Criticizing the other parent
- Manipulating the child
- Being dishonest with the court
- Making unilateral decisions about the child’s life
- Poor communication with the other parent
- Neglecting the child’s needs
If you engage in these behaviors, it could negatively impact your chances of retaining full or partial custody of your child.
Is It Worth Fighting for Custody in Minneapolis?
It is worth fighting for custody if it’s in the best interests of your child. In most cases, Minnesota courts find that joint legal custody is in a child’s best interests, which means you have a good chance of retaining at least partial custody. Regardless of whether you anticipate a custody battle with your spouse, you should retain a Minneapolis child custody attorney to fight for your parental rights.
Your Local Minneapolis Child Custody Lawyer
If you’re anticipating a custody battle during your divorce, you should hire a Minneapolis child custody lawyer to protect your parental rights. Santana Law, PLLC, can help. Founding attorney Ronnie Santana has been practicing family law for years, and in that time, he has taken on a wide variety of child custody cases. He can help with yours, too. Contact the firm to schedule an initial consultation today.
Minneapolis, MN Child Custody Resources
Minneapolis, MN Child Custody Legal Resources
- Family Justice Center
- Child Custody & Parenting Time Help Topic
- MN Child Support Guidelines Calculator
- Hennepin Family Justice Center Locations
Our Minneapolis Family Law Firm Reviews
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Ronnie handled my legal matter in a very timely and professional manner. He continued to follow up with the necessary parties to try to move the process along and get a favorable outcome. He was considerate about the financial burden it was placing on me and did whatever he could to minimize the effect. I would greatly recommend him to anyone. He is a great attorney.” – Phil Jungwirth
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I’ve had several cases with Ronnie and found him to be great to work with and very reasonable. His cases weren’t just paperwork he was shuffling. He gave them an individual look and worked to tailor a fair outcome.
In addition to Ronnie’s compassionate approach, he’s fiercely intelligent. More importantly, he’s not afraid to admit if he’s wrong. In my experience, that quality alone can help clients immensely as their cases won’t get married to the attorney’s own pride. Ronnie’s honest and practical approach is what you want in your corner.” – Earl Wins
About Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis is the largest city in Minnesota and a key legal center for family law matters in Hennepin County. Divorce, child custody, child support, spousal maintenance, and domestic abuse cases are heard through the Hennepin County Family Courts in downtown Minneapolis. Residents across neighborhoods such as Uptown, North Loop, Linden Hills, Dinkytown, and Nokomis frequently navigate issues involving parenting time, financial division, and post-decree modifications.
Because Minneapolis has a diverse population and a broad employment base, family law cases often involve complex financial and parenting considerations, including relocation, valuation of assets, retirement accounts, and safety-related concerns such as orders for protection (OFPs). Working with a family law attorney familiar with local court procedures can help protect parental rights and financial interests during major family transitions.
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