Information Regarding Child Custody Assessment Tools

By Michael McDonald


Nearly all courts use a standard procedure while deciding the child custody. The procedure always has the childs best interests when deciding who among the parents the child will live with. Sometimes, a court can order both parents to undergo a drug test and if one disagrees, the consequences can be harsh. With some child custody assessment tools, the judge decides which environment is best for the kid no matter what.

Can custody be given to only one parent? This is not a certain outcome. Partial custody can be awarded to both parents which is also called joint custody. It takes three forms. Joint physical custody whereby they spend times with the kids, joint legal custody in which both parents participate in decision making and the last one takes both joint physical custody and joint legal custody.

In the past, custody was awarded to mothers especially of children below five years. But in the recent years most states consider the physical fitness of both parents. Courts will most likely award custody to the parent who has the best interests of the child disregarding the gender. Most divorced parents agree the mother to have custody while the father maintains the visitation rights.

In case of an argument, quarrel or any other reason and one parent moves out, his chances of getting custody for the children reduces. It is considered irresponsible for the parent to leave and in the process leave the kids behind. Even if the quarrel would have led to something catastrophic, it does not let the parent off the hook.

The daily regime of a parent also aids in determining who is more suitable to live with the children. The parent who tends to use drugs or smokes like a chimney or is an alcoholic will rarely get the chance to win the custody battle. This is because a childs health is important and has to live in a place where his health will not be in danger all the time.

To be able to live with your child, there are a lot of requirements you have to fulfill as a parent. You should be living in a fixed location so that you do not have to change your kids to be living in an environment they are not familiar with. You have to provide for the kids the basics like food, clothes and medical care. Your emotional bond with the kids has to be strong.

Can a parents sexual orientation affect in getting custody or visitation rights? This solely depends on a state. In some, a persons sexual orientation cannot prevent one from getting the custody of the children or being denied visitation. In some states however, judges will decide while considering the communitys prejudices and where the kid will be more comfortable.

Sometimes, all these dynamics does not favor a parent over the other. What will the court do? The other option for the court is to consider the guardian who will nurture a better bond between the children and the other parent who will not get custody. Most likely the parent will be the primary caregiver since birth and can give the same lifestyle to the children as they are used to.




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