When Sole Child Custody Is the Right Arrangement
Posted on Feb 27, 2014 12:00am PST
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.