Posted: March 25th, 2022

Reflection on Child Custody

Reflection on Child Custody
The issue of child custody has increased in the family law courts due to the amplified rate of divorce. The procedures of child custody cause a lot of instability and disruption among parents and children. However, this process is important since it ensures that the children will experience the best possible upbringing thus enhancing their lives (Kelly, 2015, 123). The legal custody decision-making process brings up the many steps which consume a lot of resources and time of the people involved. The decisions of the parents and the interest of the children also delay the process. My experience with the custody of my sister has motivated me into joining a school law.
The divorce of my parents led to the custodial arrangement of my younger sister. They strongly disagreed with the joint custody since each of them wanted to solely take the responsibility. I understood that sole custody gave the custodian all the rights, duties, and power to make all the decisions regarding the child. In this type of arrangement, the other parent decisions would be of less concern to the welfare of the child (Kelly, 2015, 124). In short, the other partner would not be involved in any matter concerning the child. According to me, this is unfair justice since the other parent will be deprived of the rights of a biological parent.
The sole custody was granted to my father but according to me, the factors which influenced the decision-making were of less importance thus the judgment was unfair. Some of the components which determined the course of the judge included employment and the level of income of both parents (Kelly, 2015, 127). My father is an investor in the real estate sector while my mother runs a small business. The judge concluded that my father would raise my sister well as compared to my mother since the income which he earned guaranteed ability to provide basic needs and secondary wants. This was unfair since my mother would also have provided the basic needs which generally are the major concerns of a person.
This decision aggravated the urge of wanting to join a law school so that I can have a deeper understanding of legal matters, chiefly the child custody. My sister’s will was to live with my mother rather than my father. Nonetheless, her interests mattered less in this decision since the parents and the law had greater voices. I want to fully be aware of the factors which influence the decision making for custodial arrangements and how they are determined (Kelly, 2015, 127). In my opinion, employment should not be a major factor. As long as a parent has the ability to provide basic needs, then the factor of employment is of less meaning.
Additionally, I want to join a law school so that I can advocate for the interest of the children in these cases. Children, who are of age 9 years and above, can make form decisions. The interests of these children should be considered during the process so that they can be comfortable with the custodian (Kelly, 2015, 126). The parents and the law should not assume that their decisions will be accepted by the children. Some of them develop bad behavior as a response to not being heard. Therefore, child custody is a crucial matter to the parents, children, and the law. Nevertheless, the law exists to ensure that the children will be raised well.

References
Kelly, J. B., 2015. The Determination of Child Custody. ResearchGate, 122-142.