During divorce, parents often fight for child custody. But sometimes, they are fighting a battle without understanding what “custody” really means. Learn the different options so you and your ex can have a level discussion.
If you’ve never been to court before, you might be expecting television drama. In reality, a child custody hearing is much more quiet.
Children are often one of the greatest sources of concern during divorce — for good reason. Even during an amicable split, deciding “who gets” the children can be difficult.
Depending on the relationship between you and your spouse after the divorce, declaring a schedule for your children may be difficult.
In North Carolina, there is no presumption determining physical custody. Courts will often look at the “best interest” of the child.
Divorce is different for everyone because each person has his or her own life challenges. In some cases, doing what’s best for you conflicts with what’s best for your partner. And when getting a divorce, if your partner is living with a disability, you may bear the burden of deciding what happens with the future of their care.
When a couple shares children, custody agreements can become a problematic part of the divorce process. In some cases, couples reach an arrangement on their own, but not always. In some cases, custody battles must be taken to court, where an outcome is determined as a result of many factors. The actions and behavior of both parents will be considered in these hearings and can have a significant impact on the results.
We asked some of our volunteer lawyers to share answers to questions including What Divorce Mistake Do People Make that Can Affect the Outcome?
If the parents have 50/50 custody, can one parent be required to pay child support to the other parent?
Q: I got worked up to the point of throwing things at my spouse. Will this affect custody? Should I be worried?