Child Custody Guidelines for Parents

One of the hardest things for parents to deal with in a custody battle is fear of the unknown.  Most people enter a custody dispute without having any experience in matters of family law.  This can make the entire process stressful for more reasons than are necessary.  To ease some of these anxieties, we have provided some basic custody guidelines that the courts use to make their decision.

Availability
Judges want to make sure that the custodial parent has plenty of time to properly nurture their child and promote their development.  They will take into account the nature of each parent’s career, as well as the average amount of hours worked in a typical week.  Business related travel is another factor that will measured against parental availability.

Prior Involvement
Previous behavior has always been utilized by the court system to predict future trends, and this applies to child custody as well.  The judge will be looking for a consistent pattern of involvement from potential custody candidates.  This includes evidence of participation in the child’s educational, social, physical development.

Positive Reinforcement
One of the keys to raising a healthy and well-rounded child is maintaining a positive environment for that child to grow within.  This encompasses things like supporting the decisions of the other parent, eliminating outside distractions, and supporting the interests of the child.  From a custody angle, this means that the ideal guardian would provide a situation free from negative influences and unnecessary stressors.

Strong Character
Because children are so heavily influenced by the environment that they grow up in, the court heavily scrutinizes the character of each parent.  Prior instances of substance use, prolonged unemployment, and infidelity can all be detrimental to a custody appeal.  The goal of a custody judge is to place the child with a parent who can teach leadership and responsibility by example.  Thus, the ideal candidate would display strong character attributes across the board.

These are just some of the guidelines that the court system uses in determining child custody cases.  There are other variables, such as finances, that play into the decision as well.  But the majority of the other factors are considered quantitative, meaning they can be supplemented by other methods like child support.  The primary considerations are given to how the parent promotes the child’s development.  This involves time spent with the child, creating a positive environment for the child, and serving as a role model by example.  Concentrating on these characteristics are the best things for custodial candidates to concentrate on.

There are a couple of great child custody books we recommend that walk you through the process of building a winning case for your situation.  Knowing what the judge is looking for and how to present your strengths is the best way to win child custody.