Child Custody Laws
Throughout each of the states in the US, child custody laws can vary. Most people think about child custody when filing for divorce, however the child custody laws applicable in the state you are resident can also affect children born out of wedlock.
When I say that the child custody laws differ from state to state Im not only taking into consideration who gets custody of the child or children, but also the child support laws and other laws such as those relating to parental rights.
Most people know that divorce can be a messy and painful process and can hurt your children not only in the short term but also it can have detrimental long term effects. So it is usually better if you can sit down and sort something out with your soon to be ex-spouse in a way that doesnt affect your children too much. However, this isnt always possible.
Perhaps if you are considering divorce or are considering applying for custody of children born out of wedlock you should first do some research on the child custody laws in the state you are residing. If your spouse resides in a different state it may also be beneficial for you to research the child custody laws there as well. That way, if, after reading and understanding the law, you are not entitled to apply for custody of your children you save them a lot of unnecessary hurt and unpleasantness.
If you do decide you want to research the child custody laws in your state and perhaps later apply for custody, then you can either hire a lawyer who specializes in child custody cases, or you may want to consider doing a little research for yourself first. Information on child custody laws can be found from many sources such as over the internet as well as in various books that have been written on the subject.
There is also another side to child custody laws which I havent mentioned and that is where rather than both parents wanting custody of the child or children, none of them do. Perhaps neither parent is in a suitable situation, financial or otherwise to care for the child.
But whatever the reason, most states also have child custody laws which enable both parents to give up their rights to the child and put the child up for adoption. These laws cover both involuntary as well as voluntary termination of parental rights, and as with applying for custody of your children, giving up your parental rights is something you need to think about carefully first before embarking on the process.
