Getting a divorce can be painful for you and traumatic for your children. You do not want your children to suffer any more than they have to. You might worry that you will not be able to share custody with a spouse. Is child custody divided by both parents in Connecticut?
The answer is that courts make a determination about child custody based on what is in the best interests of the child. While courts prefer that parents share the responsibility of caring for children, it is not always a guarantee. Courts in Connecticut are actively moving toward child-centered solutions.
Courts look at many factors
Sometimes one parent does get full custody of a child. It is more common for both parents to get shared custody. Courts prefer this even if it involves long-distance co-parenting. Courts look at many factors including the following:
- What children need, both physically and emotionally
- What the children want
- Whether parents can meet their children’s needs
- How important a school or community is to the children
- How involved the parents are in their children’s lives
- How willing parents are to continue a relationship with their children
- If either parent has abused one or more of the children
Once the court approves a child custody decision it is binding on both you and your former spouse.
The court can divide custody between the parents, so long as both parents prove that they will actively care for their children. Courts make a decision based on what is best for the children.