When going through a divorce or separation, there are a lot of things that require consideration. Some couples are able to work a number of issues out on their own or with the assistance of legal counsel. Others, on the other hand, have to go to court to have a judge weigh in on the situation. Child custody, for example, is one of those things that numerous parents in Pennsylvania struggle to agree on.
When it comes to child custody, how it will work out all comes down to one thing: what will serve the best interests of the children. As parents know their kids better than anyone else, it is preferred that they work out custody terms that they believe will work for their family. Shared custody is the arrangement of choice these days, but sometimes there are situations when sole custody may be warranted.
In order to determine what type of custody arrangement will benefit one’s children, it is necessary to ask oneself a few questions. First, which parent has been the primary caretaker of the kids? Second, do any of the children have special needs that one parent is better able to accommodate? Third, what type of living arrangements can each parent provide? Finally, what is the current state of the parent-child relationship?
The answers to these questions can grant parents clarity when it comes to setting child custody terms. If custody cases in Pennsylvania end up going to court, a judge will ask all of these questions and more, so thinking about the answers now will only prove helpful if one’s case requires litigation. No matter how one’s child custody case ends up being resolved, legal counsel can be at one’s side fighting for the custody plan one feels is best under the circumstances.