Approximately 50% of children in the United States experience the divorce of their parents. When parents get divorced, they often have to decide who will have custody of their children.
While this is a tough decision, it is also very important. If one parent cannot handle the responsibilities of raising a child, the other parent gets sole custody.
The parent with sole custody decides the child’s education, health care, and more. They also decide where the child will live. If you are wondering about the grounds for full custody of a child, here are some things to consider.
Substance Abuse
A parent who abuses substances can’t take good care of a child. Your ex may have trouble keeping a job and paying bills. This can make it difficult for them to support their children financially.
If your ex has a substance abuse problem, you can ask the court to order them to get help.
If they refuse, it may be possible for you to get full custody of your child. You will need evidence that shows how their addiction affects their ability to parent. Bring police reports, medical records, or more to present to the court.
Child Neglect or Abandonment
Neglect can mean your ex is not giving the child enough food, clothing, medical care, or more. Abandonment means your ex leaves the child alone to fend for themselves, or they are there but not taking care of them.
Child abandonment and neglect are serious crimes.
The child can experience physical, emotional, and developmental problems because of neglect or abandonment. If you can prove that your ex is guilty of one or both, it may be possible for you to get full custody of your child.
Mental Illness
Mental illness can make it difficult for someone to care for themselves, let alone a child. It can cause a person to behave irrationally, become severely depressed, or have other symptoms that make it impossible to care for a child. It can even cause a person to become violent or abusive.
You will need to prove your ex is unfit because of their mental health. Show your ex is not taking their medication or following through with treatment plans to help your case.
Lack of Cooperation
Sometimes the other parent may not cooperate with you. They may refuse to communicate and refuse to follow through on their responsibilities. They may even refuse to let you see your child.
If this happens, you need a team of custody lawyers to help you. They will have the court look at your ex’s behavior and determine if it is in the best interest of your child. If they are not cooperating with you, then this may be a sign that they are not fit to have custody.
Grounds for Full Custody of a Child: Ensure the Child’s Wellbeing Comes First
What are the grounds for full custody of a child? The court will look at both parents and determine which one is better suited to care for the child. So if you are seeking full custody, you need to have strong, indisputable proof to prove your case.
For more custody tips, check out the latest articles on our blog.
