Four Myths About Child Custody in Boca Raton

Boca Raton Divorce Lawyer Ronald Zakarin

If you are going through a divorce, you may have an assortment of concerns and questions, some of them involving your children. You might be worried that your soon-to-be ex-spouse will get custody of your children or that you won’t be treated fairly in the child custody process. You may even have heard these four myths about child custody.

Mothers Always Get Custody

The judge’s goal is to find a solution that is in the best interest of the child. This often means awarding physical custody to one parent and visitation rights to the other parent. That does not necessarily mean that the mother will get physical custody.

This decision is made by considering several factors, including the child’s relationship with each parent, the mental and physical health of each parent, and the ability of each parent to provide a stable environment for the child. This includes a consistent routine as well as a stable place to live. If the child is old enough and mature enough, the child’s wishes will also be taken into consideration.

Of course, there are some factors that may hurt your chances of being awarded custody of your child or children. A history of domestic abuse or sexual abuse will definitely make it harder for you to gain custody of your children. Drug abuse, alcohol abuse, or other factors that may create an unsafe environment for the child will also likely harm your chances of getting physical custody of your child.

If the Other Parent Gets Physical Custody, I’ll Have No Say in My Child’s Upbringing

In general, a judge’s goal is to have both parents as involved in the child’s life as possible. This means that even after you have divorced or separated, you may still need to work together to make decisions about your child’s future.

This may mean coordinating when the child will stay over at the noncustodial parent’s house and deciding where the child will go to school. You will also need to make medical decisions concerning your child together. Ideally, you should work together as parents to find a way for you both to safely and efficiently raise your child or children.

If a judge has made it clear that you are both supposed to be involved in the decision-making process for your child, it is important for you to fight for your parental rights. If you are being pushed out of your child’s life, you may need to get the legal system involved. It is usually in the best interest of your child to have a quality relationship with both parents.

Only the Child’s Parents Are Involved in Custody Cases

If the child’s parents are dead or unable to appropriately care for the child, other people may get involved in the custody case. This may include grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings, and other family members.

The case may also involve a stepparent who has helped to raise the child even though the stepparent is not legally the child’s guardian yet. In cases where the child’s biological parents have given up their parental rights, foster parents may also be involved in a child custody case.

If I Have Physical Custody, I Can Move Without Letting the Other Parent Know

With few legal exceptions, you will need to let the other parent know that you are relocating and be granted a Petition to Relocate by a court if you are moving 50 miles or more. Having the other parent on board with the move will make the process go smoother, but if you can prove to a judge that the move is in the best interest of your child, you can relocate once you have gone through the appropriate legal process.