Traditionally, mothers have been given custody of their children after a divorce. This has caused fathers in Minnesota and elsewhere to wonder if they are given a fair shake in their custody cases. Fathers are supposed to be granted joint or sole custody of a child if that would be in the minor’s best interests. Of course, it is possible that a judge may have outdated notions about a father’s ability to take care of a child.
Therefore, fathers are encouraged to learn more about their rights and to assert them during a child custody hearing. Ideally, parents will work together to create a parenting plan prior to a hearing. Furthermore, both parents should have a reasonable ability to communicate about issues that could impact their child. Finally, parents should show that they have a strong relationship with their children.
In most cases, the court will award custody to whoever is better suited to provide for the child both emotionally and financially. A court may also take into consideration any other factors that are relevant in making a ruling in a given matter. For instance, if a child has special needs, that could influence a decision to award a parent sole or joint custody of that son or daughter.
Generally speaking, parents will share joint custody of their children. However, this may not be possible if a parent lives in another state or is otherwise unfit to have the power to make decisions on a child’s behalf. An attorney may be able to help a parent take steps to obtain custody or visitation rights. This may include showing evidence of a strong relationship between a parent and child or a desire to make changes to provide a stable upbringing for that child.