North Carolina parents who decide that they no longer want to be together may have the ability to seek physical custody of their child. While both parents working together to determine who the child would live with is best in ideal situations, some parents cannot do so. In these cases, the court may make the decisions regarding who will be granted primary physical custody of the child.
In many cases, the court usually chooses the parent who served as the child’s primary caretaker during the marriage or the time the couple was together. The court views the bond between primary caretaker and child as strong. Psychologists also often recommend that children stay with their primary caretakers as this can give a sense of stability for the child.
There are certain things that the court takes into consideration when making this determination. For example, the person who bathed and groomed the child, planned and prepared the meals and made the health care arrangements will often be considered as the child’s primary caretaker. The court also takes how involved the parent was in teaching the child how to read and write, fostering activities and meeting with teachers.
When both parents have worked hard to share the parenting responsibilities, the court may determine where the child will live based on the best interests of the child. A child custody and support attorney may argue that it is in the best interests of the child to live with one parent over the other. This may be due to one parent working long hours or due to physical and mental health. If the other parent was granted primary physical custody, the attorney may work out a visitation schedule that allows the client to maintain a good relationship with their child.