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What goes into deciding custody arrangements?

On Behalf of | Apr 17, 2023 | Family Law

Virginia’s court system often has a say in determining child custody if you and your co-parent both wish to continue having an active role in your child’s life.

They will look into what is in your child’s best interest, which includes the various factors that will impact their quality of life.

Age and mental, physical health

The Code of Virginia discusses variables that the court considers when determining child custody. This includes various pieces of information about your child, including their age, mental condition and physical health.

The court will also examine these factors in both parents, too. After all, they can impact whether or not one parent can realistically handle the physical and mental burden of raising a child.

History of parental cooperation

If you have shown the ability to cooperate with your co-parent in the past, this raises your chances of having visitation or custody rights.

It is in the child’s best interest to grow up in an environment with as little friction as possible. If the child’s parents are always at each other’s throats, the court will have less reason to give both parents equal access.

History of relationships

Finally, the court will also take the history of everyone’s relationships into consideration. For example, if one parent served as the primary caregiver while the other did not have much involvement in their child’s life, the strength of that bond will hold weight.

Likewise, the strength of the bond between any siblings will potentially sway a court’s decisions, too. Anything that will ease the strain and stress of divorce on a child will come into play.