What factors do courts take into account when deciding who gets custody of the children?
Almost all courts use a standard that gives the “best interests of the child” the highest priority when deciding custody issues. What the best interests of a child are in a given situation depends on many factors, including: • the child’s age, sex, and mental and physical health • the parent’s mental and physical health • the parent’s lifestyle and other social factors, including whether the child is exposed to second-hand smoke and whether there is any history of child abuse • the emotional bond between parent and child, as well as the parent’s ability to give the child guidance • the parent’s ability to provide the child with food, shelter, clothing, and medical care • the child’s established living pattern (school, home, community, religious institution) • the quality of the child’s education in the current situation • the impact on the child of changing the status quo • the child’s preference, if the child is above a certain age (usually about 12), and • the ability and willingness
Almost all courts use a standard that gives the “best interests of the child” the highest priority when deciding custody issues. What the best interests of a child are in a given situation depends on many factors, including: • the child’s age, sex, and mental and physical health • the parent’s mental and physical health • the parent’s lifestyle and other social factors, including whether the child is exposed to second-hand smoke and whether there is any history of child abuse • the emotional bond between parent and child, as well as the parent’s ability to give the child guidance • the parent’s ability to provide the child with food, shelter, clothing, and medical care • the child’s established living pattern (school, home, community, religious institution) • the quality of the child’s education in the current situation • the impact on the child of changing the status quo, and • the child’s preference, if the child is above a certain age (usually about 12). Assuming that none of these
A court gives the “best interests of the child” the highest priority when deciding custody issues. What the best interests of a child are in a given situation depends upon many factors, including: the child’s age, gender, mental and physical health the mental and physical health of the parents the lifestyle and other social factors of the parents, including whether the child is exposed to second-hand smoke and whether there is any history of child abuse the love and emotional ties between the parent and the child, as well as the parent’s ability to give the child guidance the parent’s ability to provide the child with food, shelter, clothing and medical care the child’s established living pattern (school, home, community, religious institution) the quality of the schools attended by the children the child’s preference, if the child is above a certain age (usually about 12), and the ability and willingness of the parent to foster healthy communication and contact between the child and t
Almost all courts use a standard that gives the “best interests of the child” the highest priority when deciding custody issues. What the best interests of a child are in a given situation depends on many factors, including: the child’s age, sex, and mental and physical healththe parent’s mental and physical healththe parent’s lifestyle and other social factors, including whether the child is exposed to second-hand smoke and whether there is any history of child abusethe emotional bond between parent and child, as well as the parent’s ability to give the child guidancethe parent’s ability to provide the child with food, shelter, clothing, and medical carethe child’s established living pattern (school, home, community, religious institution)the quality of the child’s education in the current situationthe impact on the child of changing the status quo, and the child’s preference, if the child is above a certain age (usually about 12). Assuming that none of these factors clearly favors on
