Of all the issues involved in divorce, child custody is usually the most emotionally charged. Even so, in almost all cases, couples are able to compromise on custody without forcing this issue into court. In many families one parent has been the primary caregiver throughout the child’s life; and the parties agree that this caregiver should continue to have the child most of the time.
Custody decisions should not be, and most often no longer are, a battle to choose one parent to dominate child rearing. Instead, parents should develop a parenting plan to allocate child-rearing responsibilities that can be adapted to meet the changing needs of their children as they mature.
In the below articles, we explain the common custody arrangements. We then emphasize the importance of maintaining control of your custody arrangement by reaching agreement with your spouse outside of court. Even for those who don’t go to court, understanding the factors judges use in deciding custody is useful as many of those factors make sense to consider when creating your own agreement. An extended discussion of each custody option follows. In the discussion we endeavor to alert you to the issues to as you work to come to agreement on a parenting plan that works best for your family. Finally, we provide you with guidance on how to make your agreement flexible enough to handle changes in circumstances including the possibility that you or your spouse want to move away.
Sections
Child Custody Options
Avoid a Custody Battle
Courtroom Custody Decisions
Courtroom Secrets
The Real-World Impact of Custody Choices
Listening to the Children
Reaching Agreement
Scheduling Parenting Time
Matching Schedules and Children
Decision-Making
Information Sharing
Grandparents and Others
Allow for Changes
Moving
