When going through a divorce involving children, one of the first questions will be who will get custody. However, its doesn’t need to be that black and white due to all of the different options offered today in terms of custody arrangements. From sole and joint custody to physical and legal custody, there are many different ways we will be able to determine the right form of custody for you and your family.
What’s best for your family depends on different factors contributing to the general welfare of your children. When determining what kind of custody is right for you family consider the following factors:
• Do you trust one another to take care of your children?
•Are both parents responsible and have the resources to take care of your children?
•Do the parents have a healthy relationship that allows for communication in determining the children’s schedules?
•Do either of the parents have a history of violence or anger?
•Are the parents able to take care of the children on their own and provide for supervision if needed?
When answering these questions you should be able to gain a general idea what type of custody is right for you. If you have a good relationship with your ex-spouse and you are able to communicate with them you will be able to have a more flexible visitation and custody schedule. However, if when answering these questions you have determined that the relationship with your ex-spouse is not optimal you might have to rely on the court to determine the best course of action.
In the State of California, you will be required to attend a mediation with Family Court Services if you dispute a child custody arrangement. You and your spouse will meet with a mediator to try and come up with a parenting plan.