After you end a romantic relationship with your child’s other parent, an Ohio judge will likely determine who has custody of your son or daughter. Even if you create a parenting plan with your former partner, a judge will still need to approve it. There are many variables that the judge will need to consider when deciding how to allocate parental rights after a separation or divorce.
Do you have a strong relationship with your son or daughter?
Courts typically shy away from assigning custody to parents who don’t have strong relationships with their children. This is because they don’t want young people to be in the care of adults who may ignore or neglect them. Therefore, it’s important to bring evidence to a custody hearing that you’ve attempted to be a good parent to your child. Evidence of your attempt to be there for your child may include phone logs, financial records or statements from other adults who play a key role in your son or daughter’s life.
Are you willing to get along with the child’s other parent?
Generally speaking, divorce occurs because two people don’t want to be in a partnership anymore. However, it’s critical that you put your personal feelings aside for the sake of your children. If you cannot work with your former spouse, it may be difficult for a judge to justify giving you custody of your kids.
An attorney may be able to help you obtain custody of your children after a divorce. This might be done by providing a judge with evidence that being a child’s primary caregiver is in that child’s best interest. A legal adviser may also assist in the negotiation of any parenting plan that is submitted to a judge for approval.
