Family law matters are not something that courts take lightly, especially when there is a child involved. When parents are battling for custody of their child, there are several things that the courts will look at to help them make the right decision. A parent’s income and physical condition are both very important to the courts, but so are things like the child’s wishes and who has acted as the primary caretaker. Of course, before they can factor this in, they will have to determine who the primary caretaker is by looking at what responsibilities each parent has taken on.
When trying to determine which parent is the primary caretaker, courts will look at which parent is responsible for the following:
- Planning and preparing the child’s meals.
- Grooming, bathing and dressing the child.
- Assisting with the learning of reading, writing and other skills.
- Purchases clothing and other necessities.
In many situations, there is one parent who has taken on all of the responsibilities, even though both should be contributing. This important factor could be what helps the court make its final decision in your case. However, just because the courts will look at who has been the primary caretaker, doesn’t mean that the other parent has no chance of being awarded custody.
Resolution around child custody cases are difficult for many parents. They want what is best for their child, but what they feel is best may not be similar to what the judge decides. That being the case, parents will want to work hard to prove that they are the best fit to be primary caretaker and deserve custody. If you need assistance with your child custody case, contacting a knowledgeable attorney would be wise.
