On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Custody on Thursday, April 18, 2019.
Missouri residents may be interested in learning about a few of the factors that are taken into consideration when determining living accommodations for children after a divorce. The considerations vary by state and even judges.
Judges usually take into consideration each parent’s unique circumstances and make reasonable decisions based on this. One thing they will look at is the gender of the child. If a child is a girl and the father is seeking custody or visitation, the judge may want the child to have her own bedroom and bathroom. The opposite will likely be true. The age of the child will also be considered. Older children usually need more space. So a judge may look more favorably on a situation if a teenager has his or her own room as opposed to sharing with younger siblings.
The court will also consider how many children will be living in the home. A judge may not feel that a circumstance is favorable if multiple children need to share the same room on overnight visits. If a parent has three or four children and some of them will share a bed and others may be on a couch or sleeping in the bedroom with the parent, the judge may decide against allowing this parent to have overnight visits.
A child’s ability to adjust will also be looked at. While many children are happy to have less space and still enjoy time with a parent, some children may be psychologically affected in a negative way by experiencing a drastic change in their environment.
When a parent is seeking child custody or visitation rights, they may decide to speak with a family law attorney. The attorney may provide advice on how a parent could improve their living situation in order to make it more suitable for children. An attorney could even argue for their client’s fitness as a parent.
