Visitation and custody rights are usually granted after a divorce. However, those rights may not always be respected by the other parent. In one scenario, a parent was granted the right to attend doctor appointments and school events, but the other parent refused to say when those events took place. Therefore, the noncustodial parent’s rights were infringed without anyone violating the letter of a court order.
In many cases, a mother is granted primary custody of a child after a divorce. This could paint a father as a relief parent who simply takes the child on the weekends. In such a scenario, the father may be portrayed as disinterested in taking care of the child, which is already a negative stereotype.
For some parents, they restrict access to their children out of fear that they could lose them if custody or access is split with the other parent. However, most parents truly care about their children and believe that both parents deserve equal access and parental rights. Generally, this is in the child’s best interest.
Talking to an attorney may help an individual come to a resolution in a child custody case. An attorney may help establish that a parent is fit to raise a child. Under the law, either a mother or a father can be a custodial parent, and the law generally expects both to help raise and otherwise meet the child’s needs. If necessary, a judge may grant a child support order so that the child’s best interests are considered.
