joint custody Archives

If each parent is fully capable, will the court still give full custody to mom?

If both parents are wonderful, will the court still lean towards full custody to the mother? [Note: I am a divorce lawyer of 25 years. I am not bitter about “what happened to me in my divorce” as I am not divorced.…

If both parents are wonderful, will the court still favor the mother?

If both parents are wonderful, will the court still lean towards full custody to the mother? [Note: I am a divorce lawyer of 25 years. I am not bitter about “what happened to me in my divorce” as I am…

Why isn’t 50/50 custody the default resolution in child custody cases?

I have studied this question throughout my career, and I’ve been a divorce and family lawyer for 25 years. If there is one family law question to which I know the answer, it is this one. Eventually, a rebuttable presumption…

How can I enforce my power when I have final say in joint custody?

My sons father and I have joint custody but I have final say over his well being health and education. How can I enforce my power? If you are asking: “How do I enforce in good faith my final say authority over our son’s well-being, health,…

How do we counteract the adverse effects of trusting custody evaluators?

January 27, 2022

Divorce Utah

Child Custody, Child Custody Modification, Custody, Custody Evaluation, Legal Custody, Physical Custody, Sole Custody, Uncategorized

child advocate, child custody, custody evaluation, custody evaluator, joint custody, legal advocate, legal custody, sole custody

The question was asked: In a study in 2012 proved many custody evaluators falsely believe most DV victims lied & alienated kids. So How do you prevent that evaluators report from poisoning all reports or evaluators after, since they always review…

Do courts penalize working parents?

November 26, 2021

Divorce Utah

Child Custody, Co-parenting, Court Orders, Custody, Divorce Law, Family Law, Joint Legal Custody, Joint Physical Custody, Legal Custody, Physical Custody, Sole Custody, Uncategorized

child custody, full custody, joint custody, parental custody, sole custody, working parent

Why do the courts give full custody to a parent who refuses to work but yet reduces custody of the working parent, saying they work too much? In the belief that a parent who does not work outside the home…

Have you, or someone you know, ever had to share joint custody of a pet due to a breakup/divorce? If so, how did that work out? Was the time actually 50/50?

November 19, 2021

Divorce Utah

Custody, Divorce, Divorce Law, Family Law, Joint Legal Custody, Joint Physical Custody, Legal Custody, Pets in divorce, Physical Custody

custody, custody issues, divorce, divorce law, family law, joint custody, pets

Many married couples are now foregoing having children but still feel a need for caring for something other than themselves individually and for each other, and so they get a pet or pets. They truly love these pets. They honestly…

If a married couple divorces and neither one wants their child, what happens?

Great question. I have discussed this question with others. Their first reaction to the question is along the lines of “Oh, that’s terrible!,” but then we discuss the fact that there are those rare and exceptional families we’ve either known…

Can a narcissist get custody of a child?

September 30, 2021

Divorce Utah

Abuse, Child Abuse, Child Custody, Custody, Divorce, Divorce Law, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Men's Divorce Issues, Mental Illness, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Women's Divorce Issues

custody, divorce law, joint custody, Narcissistic Personality Disorders, NPD

Of course. First, even if one could prove a parent suffers from narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), merely suffering from this condition wouldn’t automatically disqualify a parent from being awarded sole or joint custody of children. Merely suffering from a condition…

What are the laws for joint custody?

August 31, 2021

Divorce Utah

Child Custody, Custody, Divorce Law, Family Law, Joint Legal Custody, Joint Physical Custody, Legal Custody, Physical Custody, Utah, Utah Code, Utah Law

custody law, divorce law, family law, joint custody, joint equal custody, Utah code, Utah law

For the jurisdiction where I practice divorce and family law (Utah), the laws the court must consider are found in Utah Code § 30-3-10, 30-3-10.2, and, if the question of joint equal custody is in issue, § 30-3-35.2. The list…

Should a father who has shared custody see the child son when there is a hospital emergency?

August 20, 2021

Divorce Utah

Best Interest of the Child, Child Custody, Children in Divorce, Custody, Divorce, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Men's Divorce Issues, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Parental Rights, Women's Divorce Issues

child custody, Child Support, custody emergency, hospital custody, joint custody

Should a father who has shared custody rights of his child still see the child son when there is a hospital emergency? If your child is in the hospital during your time of custody should you be with the child…

How would it be, if when a couple with children divorce instead of custody the court requires them to secure a stable home for the children and require the parents to shuttle around every week?

August 6, 2021

Divorce Utah

Best Interest of the Child, Child Custody, Children in Divorce, Co-parenting, Divorce, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Joint Legal Custody, Men's Divorce Issues, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Parenting Plan, Women's Divorce Issues

custody, divorce, joint custody, nesting, parenting

This is something that many parents already do. It is often known as “nesting”. Some parents feel it would be best for their children if they don’t have to shuttle back and forth between their divorced parents’ respective homes, so…

I was awarded joint equal custody of my children, but in practice I have them with me more. Their mother’s income is at least equal to (if not greater than) mine. Could I be entitled to child support?

This is a good question and a question that comes up often. I will answer your question as it would apply to the law of Utah, which is the jurisdiction where I practice divorce and family law. In many jurisdictions,…

Why would my ex block contact with my child when we have shared joint custody?

July 22, 2021

Divorce Utah

Alienation of Affection, Best Interest of the Child, Child Custody, Children in Divorce, Custody, Divorce, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Joint Legal Custody, Men's Divorce Issues, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Parental Alienation, Parental Rights, Women's Divorce Issues

alienation of affection, Children in Divorce, contact, joint custody, maintaining relationship with child

Let me count the “reasons,” both legitimate and otherwise: Legitimate (though not necessarily legal, unless permitted by a court order) reasons: the contact you have with the child is truly and seriously harming the child emotionally and/or psychologically; the court…

Do you think it’s fair that Brad Pitt got joint custody of his kids?

Normally, I do not like to comment on the intersection of pop culture and family law because quite often, what happens in a celebrity divorce or child custody dispute does not arise or get handled the same way as would…

When flawed thinking is tragic thinking (thank goodness)

I frequently encounter comments made in child custody disputes to the effect that “courts favor the nurturing and detailed attentiveness of mothers over fathers.” I am as grateful for such comments as I am disheartened by them. Grateful because they reveal a common and recurring flaw in so many people’s thinking—and identifying the…

Do you agree with Brad Pitt winning joint custody of his children with Angelina Jolie?

I normally don’t comment on popular culture matters dealing with divorce, but for this question I will make an exception. I have no idea what kind of parents Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are. I don’t know what findings the…

How hard did you have to fight to get custody of your child after divorce as a father? What was the biggest problem you faced?

Allow me to start this answer by clearing the air a bit: First, there are many fathers who are clearly unfit fathers but who nonetheless believe the only or the “real” reason they are denied sole or even joint custody…

What is being a single parent without joint custody like in your country?

If a loving, able parent (i.e., a fit parent who lives in close enough proximity to the child(ren)’s other parent such that joint legal and physical custody does not work a genuine hardship on the children) would like nothing more…

After a divorce, should my kids be with me or with the mom?

June 1, 2021

Divorce Utah

Abuse, Addiction, Adoption, Best Interest of the Child, Business Interests, Child Abuse, Child Custody, Child Custody Modification, Child Neglect, Children in Divorce, Coping With Divorce, Court Orders, Court Rules, Custody, Custody Evaluation, Dirty Tricks, Divorce, Divorce Fears, Divorce Law, Divorce Mistakes, Divorce Preparedness, Divorce Procedure, Domestic Violence, Emotional abuse, Equity, Evidence, Family Law, Fathers' Divorce Issues, Joint Legal Custody, Joint Physical Custody, Judges, Justice and Equity, Legal Custody, Legal System, Men's Divorce Issues, Modification of Child Custody, Modification of Decree of Divorce, Modification of Parent-time, Mothers' Divorce Issues, Motion Practice, Noncustodial parents, Parent Time, Physical Custody, Sole Custody, Unwed Parents, Utah Code, Utah Law, Women's Divorce Issues

child custody, fathers, joint custody, joint equal custody, legal custody, mothers, parent, parents

First, you need to understand that you’re asking the wrong question. Child custody is not a zero-sum game; otherwise stated, when parents divorce, or when unmarried parents separate, where you get the idea that the children must be in the…

Tag: joint custody