Every parent has a right to be involved in their children’s lives. It’s typically beneficial to the children when both parents work together. This is why courts prefer shared custody arrangements where both parents are involved.
However, sharing parenting time and decision making are not guaranteed in custody cases. If it could put the child’s interests and welfare at risk, the court will usually award sole custody to one parent.
Are the children at risk?
Suppose your spouse was violent or was abusing drugs, spurring the divorce, and you don’t feel the children are safe with them. Alternatively, they may have been neglectful of the kids, and their parental skills are questionable.
In cases like this, you can seek sole parenting time. Children always come first, and the court will decide accordingly. In mild cases, the judge may order supervised visits to protect the child while ensuring the other parent is involved.
However, the other parent may be completely blocked from accessing the children if need be. In such a case, one of the parents will get sole decision-making authority and parenting time with the kids.
What do you need to secure sole parenting time?
Decisions on parenting time are not gender-based, and judges are not quick to jump to conclusions without evidence. Some divorcing couples falsely accuse each other due to bad blood between them in a bid to sway court decisions.
Therefore, you need to support your claims by furnishing the court with relevant information such as communication records or witness testimony. Anything that shows the court that your children will not be safe around the other parent will go a long way in convincing them.
You are likely to face resistance from your spouse if you seek sole custody. However, you should be prepared to fight for your children’s safety