Are Child Custody Cases Becoming More Father Friendly?
According to a recent USA Today report, the winds of change may be blowing in divorce child custody cases, particularly in favor of fathers.
In the past, the stereotypical outcome of a child custody case would be for the mother to have sole custody of the children while the father had to fight for visitation rights. Generally, this was because the mother was unemployed, focusing instead on staying home and taking care of the children while the father worked.
However, with the changing way gender roles are perceived, women are now just as important as men at being the breadwinner for the family, and, conversely, men are coming to realize the importance of their role as fathers.
Recent studies, the article finds, show that, over the past 30 years, there has been a significant increase in fathers who, although unemployed, stated that they stayed at home in order to care for their family. Additionally, the percentage of custody cases in which sole custody of the children was awarded to the mother has dropped by half, with increasing numbers in both equal shared custody and sole custody being awarded to fathers.
Courts are becoming more open-minded toward fathers wishing to maintain their role in raising their children, focusing less on the stereotypes of the past and instead looking more toward the importance and effort of each parent in the raising of their children.
If you or your spouse have recently filed for divorce, or if you are considering divorce in the near future, and you are worried about being able to raise your children, your best bet would be to talk with a child custody attorney today. Having an attorney on your side would greatly increase your chances of being able to raise your children, and your attorney would fight for every bit of custody you deserve. Call us today to see just what we can do to ensure your right to raising your children.
