Each year in Mississippi thousands of former couples – whether they were married or not – go through the family law process to address child custody issues. In each of these cases, the parents may have different motivations and goals, but the family law court will always have the same goal: determining what is in the best interests of the child involved. Of course, that is a fairly subjective bar to meet, which can make child custody disputes quite complex.
For our readers who may be facing such a situation, it is important to understand all the potential issues when it comes to child custody in Mississippi. For starters, you’ll need to know what the court will be attempting to decide. The issues usually include temporary or permanent child custody arrangements, as well as determining legal custody and physical custody.
Temporary custody arrangements may need to be made if the couple is embroiled in an ongoing legal dispute, such as a divorce. After all, while the case is pending, the children will need to live somewhere and have a parent make crucial decisions in their lives. A permanent child custody arrangement, on the other hand, will likely be entered at the end of the broader case. When a family law judge is determining legal custody, the issue is which parent – or both – will have the ability to give input on how the child will be raised, from education to religion to healthcare. Physical custody refers to where the child will live and spend time.
At our law firm, we understand how complex child custody issues can seem for parents. We work with our clients to attempt to find solutions. For more information, please visit our law firm’s website.