The question of child custody can arise from different type of situations (divorce, separation of unmarried parent, as a consequence of paternity recognition, etc…). Because this question will determine the child’s everyday life, future, education, as a parent you want to make sure the judge will grant you child custody.
However, the judge main criteria in deciding on child custody is what is in the child’s best interest. To answer that question, courts will consider inter alia, each parents’:
- home environment
- capacity to actually take care of the child
- financial capacity to provide for the child’s needs (clothes, food, medical care)
- involvement in the child’s education and extra-curricular activities
- willingness to maintain or facilitate a real relationship between the child and the other parent
- criminal history, history of domestic violence, physical and/or substance abuse, of negligence of children
When the parents cannot come to an agreement, it is important for each of them to be represented by an experienced attorney who will be demonstrate how his client offer an environment that is in the child’s best interest.