One of the most difficult parts of parenthood is being separated from your child.
When you get divorced and leave your spouse, the last thing you want is to have your children taken away from you. As you go through the gruesome process, you need to be aware of the child custody laws in your area. A Houston child custody attorney may give you different advice, while an attorney in another city like London may have a different view.
Therefore, you should be familiar with local laws. This way you will learn how to use them to keep your child with you. Below we have mentioned some critical areas of child custody that you should consider before opening the case.
You could be assessed as a parent
Certain regions of the world, like Texas, evaluate both parents before making a judgment. You can search for things like:
- your employment,
- Living conditions,
- If you and your partner can parent together
- If you are well equipped to take care of a child
- The child’s decision if they are older than 12 years
Depending on the above, your case may be for or against you.
You may need to become co-parents
The court may choose to give you custody, or you may share it with your partner. If so, you should prepare to raise your child together, even if you don’t get along well. Not only is this good for your child’s mental health, but you also get a helping hand in parenting.
Even if you’re divorced, you don’t have to bear all the responsibility as a single parent. If you and your partner do not agree on a division of roles, the court will make a regulation with defined roles.
While joint custody is an option, it is not the case everywhere. There is no joint custody in China. Therefore, only one parent will have the child and, as a guardian, can make their life decisions.
Other family members may be involved
Another thing you should know is that custody of your child can be given to a third person, friend or family member. If you and your partner do not want custody, you can apply for custody of a third member with your consent.
The court may also transfer custody of your child to a third party if you are deemed unable to bring up the child in question.
In Washington DC, a parent who has raised a child and has lived with the child for the past three years may give custody of the child to a third party.
Out-of-court settlement may be the best option
Although laws sometimes differ from region to region, going to court may not be in the best interests of the child and parents. An out-of-court settlement may be the better solution. In underdeveloped countries like Pakistan and India, it can take years to solve a case and the legal system is slow to reach fruitful conclusions.
So it may be best to talk to your partner, friends, and family and make an out-of-court decision.
Conclusion
Although child custody cases are emotionally troubling and damaging, good research and timely action can help you make the best choices for your child and yourself. It helps if you are willing to convince the court that you have good parenting skills.
The court may give you joint custody, so you must be willing to parent mentally together. If you don’t want to get involved, you can even hand it off to a third party. However, if you feel that the justice system in your area is not worth the time and effort, you should consider an out-of-court settlement.
Custody cases are twisted than you think; Therefore, we encourage you to research more and seek legal help to know the law better.
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