Child Custody Concerns During Divorce Proceedings

It is understood that the divorce process can be difficult and emotionally draining. Dealing with the division of property or assets can overshadow what is most important: your children. Children, especially those of a young age, can be deeply affected by their parents’ separation. For this reason, it is important to ensure that matters of child custody fully take into account the child’s well-being.

Child custody is a common concern in divorce proceedings. Children tend to do best when their daily routines are interrupted as little as possible. Preserving the life they have grown accustomed to is important in allowing for adjustment to their parents’ divorce. Depending on the cause or circumstances surrounding the divorce, either one or both parents can remain in the child’s life. An attorney’s services will play an invaluable role in the process of determining custody, visitation rights, and other custody-related concerns.

Child Custody in Divorce can be Complicated

Divorce is a complicated process involving the splitting of lives, assets, and finances. When children are produced by the marriage, the course of a divorce becomes trickier as innocent lives hang in the balance of the court proceedings. To make matters worse, divorcing spouses sometimes use their children as leverage in the divorce to get an upper hand in an unpleasant situation. To avoid this additional emotional struggle, parents can educate themselves about custody issues and make decisions in the best interest of their child.

With divorce occurring in nearly half of all marriages in the United States, children suffer major changes when their parents part ways. In addition to emotional stressors such as fear, anger, and resentment, children usually experience a change in their family’s financial situation as well. In order to lessen this shock, parents should make custody decisions that ease the transition into the new lifestyle.

Various custody options exist including full custody, partial custody, and visitation privileges. The custody preference of courts is generally to award both parents jointly, then to either parent and finally to the person in whose home the child has been living or to any other person deemed by the court suitable to provide adequate and proper care and guidance for the child.

Courts typically decide the matter based on factors such as the preference of the child, the ability of each parent to allow an open, loving, and frequent relationship between the child and the other parent, the child’s health, safety, and welfare, any history of child or spouse abuse, and any continued use of alcohol or controlled substances by anyone seeking custody.

With parents as highly influential figures, the parent-child relationship is critical. Judges seek to maintain stability and fluidity as much as possible in the child’s life. The judge considers which parent can meet the emotional and physical needs of the child through the divorce and post-divorce. If the child has already become more attached to one parent than another, judges will protect this relationship and not disrupt it.

If you have any questions concerning child custody in your divorce, call a San Marcos divorce attorney from the Fischer and Van Thiel law firm at 858-935-6211 today.

Helpful Topics

• A Legal Separation’s Effects On Children
• Legal Custody
• Sole Custody
• Joint Vs. Sole Custody
• Mental Illness And Child Custody
• Fathers And Sole Custody
•  How Child Custody Is Determined
• Physical Child Custody
• Regaining Custody
• Joint Custody
• Child Custody
• The Rules Of Visitation
•  Sharing Custody Over The Holidays
• Grandparents’ Custody And Visitation Rights
• Choosing The Right Type Of Custody Arrangement