When parents get divorced, one of the issues that must be addressed is custody. Custody is often one of the most emotional decisions that must be made in a divorce. Parents are used to seeing their children every day and the idea that this may change can be devastating. New Jersey courts will always make a custody decision based upon what is in the best interests of the child. Of course, there are a lot of factors that must go into determining what the best interest is.
When making a decision about custody, the court will look at factors related to the child and factors related to each parent. Some of the factors about the child include:
- The safety of the child
- The child’s needs
- The child’s preference if mature enough to decide
Some of the factors about the parent include:
- The relationship between the parent and the child
- Whether the parent is willing to accept custody
- The age and health of the parent
- Where the parent resides in proximity to the other
- The ability to provide a stable home life
- The ability to act in the best interests of the child
- The financial status of the parent
- The parent’s history of domestic abuse, if any
- The parent’s history of substance abuse, if any
It is important for a court to carefully consider each of these matters. If at some point down the road a custody arrangement needs to be changed, the parent who is requesting the change must do so in court. If you need legal assistance with a custody matter, contact our firm today.
If you require strong legal representation for matters of divorce and family law, contact The Law Offices of Paone, Zaleski & Murphy to schedule a consultation today.
