Divorce or separation that involves a child can be very tricky. One of the issues the couple has to deal with is the custody of the child their share. Under ideal circumstances, the court will encourage the parents to work out a parenting plan that best addresses the interest of the child. However, if this is not possible, then the court may have to intervene and decide how custody will be shared.
Child custody is never permanent. If either parent acts in a manner that endangers the child’s wellbeing, then the court will certainly take appropriate action. Depending on the severity of the matter, one of the actions the court may take is stripping the accused parent of their custody or visitation rights.
Here are three circumstances under which a parent may lose their custody or visitation rights.
Filing false accusations against the other parent
Child abuse will automatically result in the revocation of a parent’s custody or visitation rights. And so is making false claims of abuse. The family court takes any form of child abuse very seriously, which is why parents who make false claims are never left scot-free.
Neglecting the child
Failure to provide proper feeding, clothing, grooming or address the child’s emotional needs – all these amounts to neglect. The court will consider revoking your custody rights if it believes that the neglect in question is endangering the child’s health and/or safety.
Alienating the child from the other parent
The family court typically arrives at a custody decision that allows the child to have a healthy relationship with both parents. Both parties have a legal duty to abide by the terms of the custody arrangements. Parental alienation happens when one parent attempts to prevent the child from having a healthy relationship with the other parent. The court will strip you of your custody or visitation rights if it establishes that you are trying to alienate the child from the other parent.
Divorce or separation comes with unique challenges when kids are involved. Knowing your rights and responsibilities under the law can help you ensure that your child’s interests are not violated by the other parent.