Impact Of Remarriage On Custody Arrangements
Posted on: 25 October 2018
If you have remarried after a divorce, and you have children from the previous marriage, you should educate yourself on how your current marital status may the custodial arrangement. Not that, from your point of view, remarriage may have both positive and negative effects on child custody.
Positive Effects
The New Spouse Has Grounded You
One of the ways in which remarriage can improve your custody prospects are if it has made you more valuable, responsible, or generally a better parent. Maybe you used to juggle multiple jobs, and you were rarely available to take care of the child, but you are now a stay-at-home parent because your new spouse can afford to take care of the family.
The New Home is Suitable for the Child
Another positive effect of remarriage is if it improves your home or neighborhood situation. This is particularly the case if your old home was considered a dangerous one or not suitable for the child. For example, if you lived in a bachelor pad or a tiny house before but now you have a sizable home. Or maybe you used to live in a drug-infested neighborhood, but you have moved to a safe neighborhood after remarriage.
Negative Effects
Your New Spouse Isn't Welcoming Of the Child
Unfortunately, there are also cases where you get married to a spouse who doesn't love their stepchild as much as you thought they would do. Maybe they are showing a clear preference for their child over your child, or they are abusing the child when you are away. In such a case, your custody battle may change for the worse since the court will be convinced the child is not safe with you.
You Have To Move Due To the Marriage
There are also cases where you have to move to be with your new spouse, and the court is convinced that the child's best interests are best served if the status quo is maintained. This may be the case, for example, if the court doesn't want to disrupt the child's school or dissociate the child from their social circle. Or maybe you are moving far from the child's current home, and you can't maintain the current schedule that involves having the child every weekend.
As you can see, a few changes may occur if you get married while raising a child with another person. Consult a family and divorce lawyer to help you navigate these rough waters and ensure that both your rights and the child's wellbeing aren't affected.
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