Many child custody issues arise in conjunction with a divorce. When a couple that has children decides to end the relationship, matters concerning children are often a main focus. Couples who have children are not always married however. Because of this, it is possible for child custody matters to arise in other situations as well.
This is illustrated in the recent birth of a daughter to Sarah Palin’s daughter Bristol, and her ex-fiancé. Bristol and the Medal of Honor recipient, called off their wedding last spring, just days before it was set to occur. Not long after, it was announced that she was expecting.
Though not much was discussed during the pregnancy regarding the paternity of the baby, after she was born, Palin’s ex-fiancé-who lives in Kentucky-indicated he is excited to be part of his baby daughter’s life. Accordingly, he is seeking joint custody of the girl.
While he has denied reports that he is also seeking child support, there are situations where a parent in this situation will try to secure this. There are multiple factors that are taken into consideration when determining whether this is warranted, such as the time the child spends with each parent and how much each parent makes.
In some situations, the latter determination can be difficult to make. Because of this, it is important to work with not just a lawyer, but a family law lawyer who has a thorough understanding of how to go about making this determination, on your side.