Custody Rights During a Divorce

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Custody Rights During a Divorce
Most people understand that part of the divorce
process is finding common ground between both
spouses regarding child custody and visitation
rights of both parents. While in the past,
courts always favored mothers to have primary
custody of their children, this standard has
long since passed, and most courts now want to
ensure that a child has a strong relationship
with both parents. Many parents worry about their
custody rights, and there are certain things
they can do not only to keep those rights during
the divorce process, and ultimately impact the
custody and visitation schedule. The Best
Interests of the Child Courts will always use a
standard that looks to what is truly in the best
interest of the child. Therefore, your behavior
during the divorce process will not only affect
and impact your ability to have visitation with
your child during the divorce proceedings, but
also what your permanent custody and visitation
schedule will look like. A court will always
attempt to examine both parents emotional and
physical health and their ability and willingness
to ensure that the basic needs of a child are
taken care of appropriately. Positive Actions You
can Take to Help Your Custody Case If you and
your spouse can not agree regarding custody
issues, the final determination will ultimately
be up to the court. Make sure that your actions
during your divorce process reflect positively
on you because that will help your custody case
and ensure you achieve as much visitation as
possible. Some positive actions you can take that
will make the court look more favorably on you
as a parent include the following
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• You provide for your child emotionally,
  physically, and financially
• You have a healthy lifestyle, and do not engage
  in any risky or illegal activities
• You do not have any suspicious or dangerous
  social media posts
• You have a healthy emotional bond with your child
• You support the other parents right to have time
  with the child
• You prioritize the child by keeping him or her in
  the same school
• You display a complete absence of malice and
  animosity toward your ex-spouse
• Negative Actions That Will Possibly Hurt Your
  Custody Case
• There are some behaviors that may possibly hurt
  your custody case, which would include the
  following
• Drug or alcohol abuse
• Inappropriate social media behavior
• Inability or unwillingness to financially or
  emotionally support a child
• Physical or emotional abuse or neglect of a child
• Unwillingness to support the other parents right
  to have time with the child
• Failure to prioritize the child over personal,
  selfish interests
• Obvious hatred and animosity for your ex-spouse
• Failure to cooperate regarding scheduling or
  visitation with the other spouse regarding the
  child
• Any attempt to kidnap or remove the children from
  the other parent.