Deciding Ypsilanti Father Custody

[Willard Gerard]

The legal standard for deciding Ypsilanti Father Custody is known as
the best interests of the child.
When first deciding custody, the judge considers many factors, such as
abuse or violence, or which parent has the closer emotional bond to
the children.
The children may be interviewed, but the desires of the children are
usually important only when they are older.
Some Ypsilanti courts use a psychologist to evaluate the parents. The
psychologist may use tests or interview family members to gather
information for a custody recommendation.
After deciding custody, it is likely the arrangement will change.
Events in the lives of the parents-or just the children getting older-
may require a change to the custody schedule.
The legal standard to change an existing custody order is known as a
significant change of circumstances.
Best Interests of the Child
When deciding Ypsilanti father custody, the judge must follow a legal
standard to make the decision. This standard is called the best
interests of the child.
Because parents are more than parents, and custody disputes often
involve charges and counter-charges that have little to do with actual
parenting skills, the Ypsilanti judge must find a way to sift through
the debris of the failed relationship and reach a decision.
That's why the custody decision is based on the best interests of the
child. By doing what is best for the child-and not what is best for
either parent-the judge focuses on the important issues and eliminates
the unimportant ones.
Deciding what is best for the child sounds good, but it's actually
vague and open-ended. It often results in judicial bias-custody
decisions that vary from one judge to the next. Proponents of the
standard, however, insist that it cannot be different. If the
qualifications for custody were more specific- say, a series of tests
a parent must pass to get their children-then the government would be
in the business of deciding the "perfect" family.
Up until the mid-1800s, children were considered property of the
father who was usually awarded custody following a divorce. Then, the
Talfourd Act instructed Ypsilanti judges to award custody of children
of tender years to the mother.
Today, the laws in all states require judges to consider what is in
the best interests of the child when making a custody decision.
Regardless of its flaws, the best interests standard is one that will
be followed when a judge decides custody.
Factors That Influence Ypsilanti Father Custody
When deciding what is best for the child, the Ypsilanti judge must
consider a long list of factors. Some factors are negative, such as
things that might harm the child, while others are positive, such as
things that will help. Some are based on past behaviors, while others
are predictive of the future.
Primary Caretaker
When a judge decides custody, the judge tries to determine which
parent has been the child's primary caretaker. The Ypsilanti primary
caretaker is the parent who cared for the child day-to-day. This
includes such activities as making the child's meals, taking the child
to-and-from school, bringing the child to the doctor, helping with
homework, and so on.
Generally, the parent who has been the primary caretaker is favored
for custody. This reflects the belief that whoever has been raising
the child may not only be more committed, but is more experienced.
Established Residence
Normally, judges want to maintain the status quo-or established living
pattern-in a child's life. This means keeping the child in the same
home, the same school, the same church, the same community, and so on.
So if you're the father and you can provide continuity may be favored
for Ypsilanti Father Custody.