Unless you and your child’s other parent are in agreement over who is going to care for your shared child and when you may need Kentucky’s family court system to develop a custody schedule on your family’s behalf. When making decisions about your child’s living situation, family courts strive to make decisions that they believe are in your child’s “best interests.”
Per the Kentucky General Assembly, when making decisions about child custody, expect the court to consider the following areas, among others.
The wishes of everyone involved
Your own desires and those of your child’s other parent carry weight in a child custody case. So, too, do your son or daughter’s wishes, provided he or she is old enough to make an educated decision in this area.
The strength of existing familial relationships
The relationships that exist between you and your child, your child’s other parent and your child, and your child and any other family members he or she has also hold relevance. For example, if one of you has other siblings or half-siblings living in your home and the child at the center of the custody matter has close relationships with those siblings, this may factor into custody decisions.
The child’s existing lifestyle
Family courts may also take into account your child’s current schedule with regard to school, extracurricular activities and so on. When possible, courts may try to keep your child on a similar schedule to minimize any divorce-related disruptions in his or her life.
While these are some examples of the variables that often come into play in a Kentucky custody case, this is not a comprehensive summary of all areas that family courts may review.