Child custody cases that go before a judge are often difficult for the parents. These cases put your child’s future into someone else’s hands. For the parents who have to go through this process, it can be very hard to think about what might happen. This is one of those times when the more you know, the better you might feel comes into the picture.
One important factor that the judge considers is who has been the child’s primary caregiver. This is the parent who puts the child to bed, helps with homework, bathes the children and does similar things with the children. Typically, the judge will put a big emphasis on this since it is what the child is used to.
Another very important factor is what is in the child’s best interests. This means that the judge has to carefully consider each option available so that the child can have the best life possible. Contrary to popular belief, the income and resources of the parents aren’t a factor here.
While the mother of a child was given preference in the past when it came to child custody, this isn’t the case any longer. In most cases, there is no preference based on the gender of the parent. Instead, the previously mentioned factors are the ones that matter.
If you are facing child custody issues, you should know what is going to happen. This gives you the basis to figure out how to work on your side of the case. Once you know what might happen, you can make decisions about how you are going to respond.
Source: FindLaw, “Deciding Who Gets Custody FAQs,” accessed Feb. 17, 2017