Serving in the armed forces for the United States is not something that should be taken lightly. People join the various branches at different times of their lives. Some enter already married, some without children and others with children. Then, there are those who get deployed and do not have the opportunity to see their children born. Here are some things to consider regarding deployment and child custody.
When it comes to the military and child custody issues, the fact that at least one of the parents is in the military should never cause a negative impact on the arrangements. The other parent might try to use military service as a detriment when working to convince the court to rule in their favor, but the court should not consider this. In almost all cases, the best interests of the child is what should be the deciding factor. If it’s to be with the military parent, then the child should be placed with the military parent.
It is possible for courts to issue temporary custody orders. Temporary custody orders are issued by courts in an effort to ensure that the long-term chances of the parent regarding custody are not hurt by their deployment. The temporary order places the child in a situation that is in their best interest, while also protecting the long-term opportunity of the parent to retain custody upon return from deployment. A temporary order is usually issued when a custody battle cannot be solved prior to deployment or if the parent remaining home is unfit to care for the children while the other is deployed.
Military child custody cases are much different from civilian child custody cases. They can be very confusing for those who have never experienced them. This is a big reason why retaining an experienced military family lawyer is an excellent idea for such a situation.
If you serve in the armed forces and are involved in child custody issues, contact our firm in Columbia to have all of your questions answered.
