Sometimes, a married couple has a rocky relationship from the get-go. Other times, people who were once very much in love find that over the years they have grown apart. Whatever the reason, it is not unusual these days for a married couple in Virginia to divorce.
That being said, couples going through a divorce may have many questions. This is especially true if the couple has a child. Most parents do not want to expose their child to any suffering. Moreover, both parents may be concerned about how much time they will get to spend with their child post-divorce.
Sometimes parents, despite wanting to end their marriage, can still cooperate enough to formulate their own parenting plan. However, other times parents need to turn to the court to make child custody decisions. When this happens, the court will consider a number of factors.
The court will consider the child’s age and health as well as the parents’ ages and health. The court will also consider the relationship the child has with each parent and any brothers or sisters they may have. In addition, the court will consider the role each parent had in raising the child, and each parent’s desire to continue playing an active role in raising the child and having a meaningful relationship with their child. Also, the court will consider each parent’s ability to cooperate with their ex when it comes to making sure the child can maintain a meaningful relationship with their ex. If there is a history of abuse, this will be considered. Finally, the court might also consider the child’s preference.
As this shows, child custody decisions can be very complex. Parents may feel intimidated should they have to go to court to seek custody of their child. At our law firm, we understand how important it is to parents to be able to spend a meaningful amount of time with their child post-divorce. We have compassionately assisted thousands of parents with their child custody and support issues. To learn more on this topic, please visit our website.
