When Sole Child Custody Is the Right Arrangement

Many divorce proceedings turn into contentious battles between parting spouses because of the importance of the issues that have to be decided before the marriage is officially over. Since soon-to-be ex-spouses, including those in Georgia, love their children, disputes over child custody, visitation and child support can sometimes erupt into prolonged post-divorce conflict.

Bringing children up after divorce can be challenging. There are several ways in which divorced parents can share parenting time, especially if the parents can find an amicable way to resolve their custody disputes and thus minimize stress in their own their children's lives. This is the situation most divorced parents face.

Sometimes, though, a divorcing parent may feel the other spouse should not have any contact with their child once the marriage is over. This determination may seem harsh, but a court may end up assigning sole custody to one parent for several reasons that uphold the best interests of the child. Sole custody of the child, for example, can be granted if the other parent has a history of abusing the spouse or child or presents other dangers such as criminal lifestyles that could threaten the child's health and well-being.

In the end, a child custody case will be settled by a family court judge who will determine which particular situation will best serve a child's interests.

Emotions can run high during divorce, and they can become even more magnified the moment any child-related issues come up. Divorcing or divorced parents would be better off seeking the help of a legal professional to resolve a custody dispute over parenting time or other issues.

A parent who is having trouble obtaining child custody or finding a workable visitation schedule should keep in mind that any changes made should be with the child's best interests in mind and not for personal reasons.