Many parents have the false impression that all discussions about visitation and child custody are over once an Ohio family court judge signs off on any court orders. This is seldom the case though. Certain instances may cause a custody order to be reopened and reexamined. It’s possible for a parent to be awarded and later deprived of custody as a result of this.
If a parent engages in domestic violence, then they may lose custody of their kids. A judge may fear that a child may be abused or that they may be exposed to unnecessary conflict if they were to leave them in the home with the abusive parent.
A parent who has suffered the actual domestic violence may also be at risk of losing custody of their child. This is especially the case if they are depressed or emotionally unstable. This may lead an Ohio judge to think that they wouldn’t be stable enough to successfully raise their kids.
Any parent that has engaged in child abuse may also lose custody of their child. This includes any mom or dad that engages in verbal, emotional or physical abuse. A parent who tries to convince their child to sever their relationship with the other one may be accused of parental alienation. This too can result in a parent losing custody of their child.
Parents who abuse drugs or alcohol may be deprived of custody much like a mom or dad who neglects their child. Family law judges in Hamilton generally place children with parents that they believe can best care for a child’s needs. A parent who can’t remain sober is likely to have difficulty in making the right decisions regarding their son’s or daughter’s health, education and home life. This is why a judge is apt to remove custody from a parent who engages in such behaviors.
Convincing a judge that you should be awarded custody isn’t easy. It’s even more difficult if you’ve never had it or if you’ve previously lost it.
One benefit of pursuing mediation is that you and your ex can discuss your preferences and reservations outside of the courtroom and reach an agreement among yourselves without any judge’s intervention. This may result in both of you sticking to your agreement more than you otherwise would have. A divorce mediation attorney can help you broker a deal with your ex.
