New York Family Law Blog
According to a prominent New York Family Lawyer there is a new bill proposed which could revamp the child custody laws? This will force judges to offer equal parenting time to parents unless one is said to be unfit for parenting.
The state is trying to make child custody laws much fairer. If both parents are loving and fit then they should both be involved. Two parents are needed to raise well rounded children.
There are a large number of supporters of this bill. It says that it would prevent many fathers from being nothing more than visitors to their child’s lives. Instead they will be able to be part of their life. This will also make the child’s life much more stable.
If this bill was passed then any parents divorcing would need to create a parenting plan. This would then say which parent the child would be with on different days on the week. If the parents are unable to reach a decision then the judge would order joint custody.
A New York Family Lawyer questions the ability of the bill to stabilize the life for the child. It is thought that this could mean that children will have to sacrifice.
Supporters say that they just want both parties to have fair representation under the law. They argue that at the moment they are not treated fairly.
The NY Family Lawyer points out that life has changed a lot over the years. In the 50’s it might have made sense for the mother to retain custody of the children. However, now with both parents working almost all the time, this will not always be the case.
Other supporters of the bill said that it was a good idea. However, they said that the definition of an unfit parent would need to be extended. This will make sure that any criminals or violent people are not able to get equal custody of their children. Bills like this are studied in New York City and Long Island to find out the significance for their venues.
In the bill, an unfit parent is described as someone who fails to offer the proper level of care to their child or to harm the child in any way.
If you are currently going through a divorce then a New York Family Attorney can help you. A New York Family Attorney will be able to discuss child custody with you in detail so you understand your options.