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What courts consider in deciding custody disputes

On Behalf of | Jan 31, 2017 | Family Law

Anyone who feels as if they can go along in life and parent their child without the other parent may be fooling themselves. Indeed, you may believe that the other parent is irresponsible, petty, childish, unorganized and completely incompatible with you; and because of these things, they could not possibly be a responsible parent.

However, just because you are not in a romantic relationship does not mean that the two of your cannot be effective in a co-parenting relationship. After all, the purpose of a co-parenting relationship is to make sure that both parties are on the same page when it comes to the fundamental care of a child.

Essentially, you don’t need a college degree in child psychology to be a great parent. It also doesn’t necessarily mean that you must be well off (or rich) to be a good parent.  What you need to know is what a court may consider in determining legal custody, physical custody.

Basically, there are 13 points that the courts consider in determining custody questions, also known as “The best interests of the child” standard. They include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The relationship between the child and each party
  • The child’s wishes, if he or she is of appropriate age
  • The relationship between the child and other relatives close to him or her
  • The child’s adjustment to school and their relative community
  • The capacity of each parent to give love and affection to the child

Custody decisions are not easy, and every case has its strengths and weaknesses. It is best to contact an experienced family law attorney if you need representation.