Why You Should Think Twice Before Aiming For Sole Custody
Sole custody is not all its cranked up to be; in fact, it has some serious drawbacks. Here are a few reasons that make pursuing sole custody a bad idea:
It Is Bad For the Kids
One of the reasons sole custody is not such a novel idea is that it robs the children of the opportunity to spend time with one of their parents. This is bad because your children need both of their parents in their lives. In most cases, the emotional, psychological support kids can get from both parents is much more than they can get from one parent. Besides, you are two distinct individuals, and your kids can grow into well-rounded adults if they can learn from both of you instead of learning from just one parent. Don't forget that the main aim of custody is to get the best living arrangement for the kids, and not to massage any of the parent's egos.
It's Rarely Awarded
The courts are well aware of the demerits of restricting a child's access to one parent. At the same time, parents also have legal rights to maintain reasonable contacts with their kids. This means that courts are often reluctant to award sole custody to parents. You might think you have good reasons for seeking sole custody, but in reality, the court isn't likely to agree with you.
It Is Costly
Since sole custody is rarely awarded, you have your work cut out for you if you want to convince the court to award you sole custody of your kids. In most cases, you will have to prove that the other parent is unfit to raise the child or that their contact with the child will harm the child in one way or the other. In practice, this usually means that you need to prove that the other parent is has been abusing the child, is dependent on drugs or is too ill to take care of the child. Most of these cases proceed to litigation, and you have to prove your case, which means calling for expert witnesses and paying for top-notch legal counsel. Do you want to spend all that money to keep your kids away from their mother or father?
It May Backfire On You
Lastly, you should also think twice before seeking legal custody because it may backfire on you. This is particularly likely if you don't have solid grounds for seeking legal custody in the first place. In your attempt to prove your case, you might come across as a vengeful and petty person that thinks more about themselves than the welfare of their child. Family courts are rarely kind to such parents, and you might find yourself with a poorer child-custody arrangement than you would have enjoyed sans your pursue of sole custody.
Of course, there are genuine cases where sole custody is advisable (for example, if the other parent is abusing the child) and you can actually succeed with its pursuit. Consult a child custody lawyer to help you evaluate the possible custody options available for your situation. Visit a site like http://www.kalkwarflaw.com for more help.