Visitation rights become an issue for Ravens player in dispute

No doubt many of our Maryland readers are fans of the Baltimore Ravens. Although it has been a somewhat up-and-down season for the NFL team, they have clinched a playoff spot and will be headed for the postseason. However, it has not been all good times lately for the Ravens players. One player, reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs, has been dealing with a few legal issues with his fiancé and children.

A few weeks ago, reports began to surface that Suggs’ fiancé had requested a protective order. As a result, Suggs was required to surrender any firearms he owned, which amounted to a total of seven guns. As Suggs and his fiancé faced their problems, it appears a child custody dispute was on the horizon in regards to the couple’s two children.

Thankfully, a recent report indicated that the two parties worked out an agreement on visitation rights and child custody. The couple and their respective attorneys were in court on December 11, at which time Suggs’ fiancé voluntarily lifted the protective order.

As our readers can see in this case, even rich and famous athletes sometimes have family problems with visitation rights that may need to be resolved in the courts. When children are involved, the issues can become even more complicated. And, although the courts will always be there to help resolve the most difficult and bitter of disputes, most of the time it is in all of the parties’ interests to come to an agreement outside of court, as Suggs and his fiancé did. Doing so can lessen the potential for acrimony and ill will after the matter is settled. In doing so, however, it can be very important to educate oneself about all of the available legal options.

Source: The Baltimore Sun, “Terrell Suggs reaches agreement with fiancé on custody, visitation of children,” Aaron Wilson, Dec. 11, 2012