What determines how the courts split custody in your divorce?

If you find yourself considering a divorce, worries about how it will affect your family might hold you back from filing. Custody of your children may be one of those worries.

Whether you are a stay-at-home spouse and feel like you may not be able to support the kids on your own or a parent who has focused on your career and now you worry that the lack of parenting time will affect your rights, fear about damaging your relationship with your children may stop you from doing what is best for your mental health and happiness.

If you understand the approach that the Louisiana family courts take to child custody in a divorce, you may feel more empowered to move forward with your divorce plans.

The best interests of the children

Your children love you and their other parent. They need the guidance and support of both parents in order to flourish. The courts will consider the importance of having two healthy parental relationships when deciding how to split up custody in your divorce.

The judge overseeing your divorce proceedings will look at everything from who has spent time with the children so far to issues with mental instability or substance abuse when determining what is best for the children. For most families, the likely outcome of child custody proceedings will be a shared custody arrangement, sometimes known as co-parenting.

Unless you feel like you have justification for requesting sole custody of your children, it is probably wise to start mentally preparing yourself to parent with your ex after the divorce. Your attorney can help you as you and your spouse work out your parenting plan.