26 Dec Defining “Best Interest of the Child”
Every state has different laws to dictate what the “best interest of the child” looks like in child custody cases. New Jersey is no different, and Bloom Law Office has seen the laws and procedures shift over the years. Many states are taking steps to modernize child custody arrangement, like lawmakers in Virginia who are working towards defining “shared parenting.”
It’s not an easy task. Over 60 studies have shown that children benefit the most from having both of their parents in their lives to the maximum possible degree. This means that parents swapping kids every other weekend without being able to customize for each circumstance is a poor approach. Shared parenting can offer a flex-option so that judges can simultaneously personalize child custody arrangements while protecting children from potentially dangerous situations.
Parenting Time Established in Court
Arizona was the first state to legally require that “the court shall adopt a parenting plan that maximizes (both parents’) respective parenting time.” This was only in 2013, and in 2018 a study showed that most of the state’s family law experts positively view this new law. According to the Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, children in Arizona have been spending more time with each parent, and there’s been no uptick in conflicts.
The law has also been linked to a positive shift in the child’s well-being. However, the study indicated that around 80 percent of child custody agreements around the country don’t work towards ensuring the child spends the maximum amount of time with each parent.
Talk With A Child Custody Attorney, Jeffrey M. Bloom in West New York, NJ
New Jersey may not have followed in Arizona’s footsteps yet, but there is a way to help your family make sure the child’s best interest will remain the priority in case of divorce: child custody attorneys. Working with an attorney can help make the process smoother, faster, and fairer. If you’re considering divorce or modifying a child custody agreement, contact Bloom Law Office at 855-208-3650 today.
