Child custody battles can be stressful and may be one of the hardest things you will ever have to go through. When it comes to child custody, there can be many factors that come into play when determining how the details will be figured out. However, there are certain aspects to the determination of child custody that can be useful for you to know.
Factors that determine child custody:
The parents’ wishes-You and your ex-spouse may have an arrangement already in place that you are both comfortable with which could play a big part in the custody decision. Your personal preference may be very valuable to the judge too, though it may not be granted, it can be very useful hearing directly from you.
The age of the children-While there is no exact rule concerning the age of children during custody, the courts usually would not like to disrupt the life the children are used to. The older the kids are, the better chance the court will be open to alternative living arrangements.
Parent/child relationship-You should expect that the quality of the relationship between you and your child will be examined. The relationship you also have with the other parent may be also be taken into consideration to see if how you feel about them may interfere in your child’s relationship with the other parent.
Prior care-If one parent has been living primarily with the child and handling the bulk of the care, the court may decide to stay with consistency.
Living accommodations and basic needs-The ability to provide a safe and comfortable home can be very important, including details such as if the children will have their own room. The ability to provide for physical, medical and emotional needs will also play a substantial role in custody determination.
State of parents and children-Your mental and physical health, as well as that of your ex and children, will be considered. A judge may ask for character witnesses to come forward and share their opinions about a parent.
Wishes of the children-If a judge considers the children old enough, their wishes could be taken into consideration.
Violence or abuse-If either parent has confirmed evidence against them of either violence or abuse, this will play a major role is custody rulings.
You can expect the above factors to be considered for determining child custody, but they are by no means the only criteria. Child custody determinations will be taken very seriously by the courts and you should work with your attorney very closely to understand all aspects of what will be expected to show as a parent.
