In many divorces, the most difficult issue to face is in regards to custody. When a parent is used to seeing their child every day, the idea that they will no longer be able to do so can be devastating. Even worse, there are certain situations where a parent may lose custody of their child altogether. This happens when the court awards sole custody to one parent after determining that the other is “unfit” to parent. However, awarding sole custody to one parent and no parenting time to the other is very rare. The court is required to make decisions that serve the best interests of the child. Of course, making a decision on custody is weighed very heavily in New Jersey and the court will consider many different factors. Some of the things taken into consideration in determining custody includes:
- The age and health of the child
- The child’s specific needs
- The home life that each parent can provide for the child
- The age and health of each parent
- The parent’s history of domestic violence or substance abuse
- The income of each parent
- The preference of the child, if they are old enough to input a sound opinion
- The child’s relationship with each parent
If you have questions about sole custody in New Jersey, contact our firm today.
Paris P. Eliades Law Firm, LLC is a divorce and family law firm serving clients in Sussex, Morris, and Passaic County and throughout New Jersey with compassionate, quality legal services. Contact our office today for a free initial consultation.