Divorcing parents in North Carolina want what's best for their children. When it comes to child custody, many couples have questions about the arrangements for their kids. While mothers are often awarded full custody, there is a lot of evidence to support the fact that dads are just as important as moms.
Courts struggle to define parental alienation
After a divorce in North Carolina, it is not uncommon for child custody cases to be contentious. One of the most common allegations a parent may levy against the other is that he or she was abusive. The abuse may either be inflicted on the person making the claim or on the children. In return, the parent who is facing abuse allegations may claim the accuser of parental alienation.
Does a parent's living situation impact a court's decision?
When North Carolina parents are fighting for custody, they have many concerns. One of these is usually related to their living situation and how it can impact the way the court rules when it comes to custody. In fact, while there are differences from state to state, courts do look at certain aspects of a parent's living situation before they make their decision in a custody dispute.
Splitting parenting duties during the holidays after divorce
Many divorced parents in North Carolina honestly want to make the holidays a special time for their children. However, achieving this goal is sometimes difficult if there are lingering feelings involved. An increased frequency of carting kids from home to home also boosts the potential for conflicts or confrontations. One way to keep everything merry and bright is for parents to have a solid plan in place before the holiday hustle and bustle gets underway.
How to keep the marital home during a divorce
North Carolina couples going through a divorce have to make many important decisions about property division. One of the most critical decisions has to do with what will happen to the marital home.
How divorcing parents can co-parent successfully
When parents in North Carolina decide to divorce, the transition to co-parenting can be challenging yet also rewarding. Divorced parents may clash over parenting styles and issues that come with step-parents and blended families. Some parents may find it difficult to communicate after the split while others prepare for regular family meetings. However co-parenting works best for a specific family, there are some guidelines that people can keep in mind to improve their relationship for the benefit of their children.
An overview of the child custody hearing process
Child custody proceedings are conducted to determine whom a child's custodial parent will be and what rights the noncustodial parent will have. Parents in North Carolina who want maximum parental rights need to prepare for a child custody hearing thoroughly. If a person has an attorney, he or she may spend time going over questions that a judge may ask during a hearing.
Who is a custodial parent?
In North Carolina, when parents go through a divorce, there are a number of child custody structures that can be used to shape the family's relationships after the parents' split. In many cases, one parent is considered the custodial parent, especially when they have physical custody of their child most of the time. This can be the case even when the other parent remains actively involved in their child's life and the two work together as co-parents.
Dads can get full custody in some circumstances
Once upon a time, North Carolina fathers wanting full or joint custody of their children had little hope unless the mother proved completely unfit as a parent. Evolving societal norms have changed the perception of fathers as co-equal parents, and the judicial system is following suit. The current default position in most jurisdictions does not assume either parent is superior to the other in child custody battles. However, hopeful fathers should definitely take care in presenting their case.
Divorce and the narcissistic coparent
Parents in North Carolina who are divorced from a narcissistic ex-spouse might struggle when co-parenting. A narcissistic parent might use the same "gaslighting" techniques on the children that the ex-spouse remembers from the marriage. This can involve convincing children that their version of reality is incorrect.
