In our Must Have Information on Child Custody series, we’ll take some of the mystery out of the law and give you information you need about Nebraska custody laws.
In this article, we discuss the legal concept of best interest of the child, known in lawyer speak as BIOC.
Split Parenting Time, Not the Baby
In the well-known tale of the judgment of Solomon, King Solomon has to decide which of two women is the true mother of an infant boy. Solomon told the women that there was only one fair solution: the infant must be split in two so each woman could have half of the child.
The boy’s true mother immediately cried, “Oh, Lord, give the baby to her, just don’t kill him!” Of course the king never intended to split the baby in two. He knew that only a true, loving mother would give up her baby rather than hurt him.
This story is a popular example of wisdom in judgment among lawyers and judges. It also provides a compelling example of a parent guided by the best interests of her child during a custody battle.
The judge in your custody case also has no intent of splitting your child in two, of course. But time with your child is another matter. Even if you don’t like the other parent, or he or she has flaws, unless they are a danger to the child, the law favors giving your child the opportunity to have a full relationship with them, which means splitting time. Parenting time is always guided by the individual best interests of your child.
How Does the Court Decide Child Custody?
You and the other parent can decide on your parenting plan together through child custody mediation or by working with your lawyers to draft your own parenting plan. But what does best interest of the child mean in Nebraska child custody laws? And how can you know how to prove best interest of the child? Deciphering that can be confusing and frustrating for parents in child custody cases.
According to the Nebraska Parenting Act,
- The court’s decision must provide for the child’s safety, health, stability, emotional growth, physical care and “regular and continuous school attendance and progress” for kids who are school-age.
- If the court decides there is domestic partner abuse, the parenting arrangement must provide for the safety of the parent being abused.
- Those serving in the roles of parents must be appropriate in their involvement with the child. They also have to help continue relationships between the child and family members who have shown the ability to have a healthy relationship with the child.
- Even if the parents have agreed on a plan to parent the child or children, the court has to find that plan is in the best interests of the child or it will not accept the plan.
If the court rejects a parenting plan, the court has to say, in writing, why the parenting plan is not in the best interests of the child.
To provide for the best interest of the child, Nebraska custody law also says the goal of the entire court process, including mediation, should:
- Minimize the damage parental conflict can do to children.
- Provide parents the tools they need make decisions that are best for the child.
- Provide alternative dispute resolution options that are less combative than traditional court cases tend to be.
- Ensure that the child’s voice is heard and considered in parenting decisions.
- Maximize the safety of family members through the justice process.
- In cases of domestic intimate partner abuse or child abuse or neglect, to put into the parenting plan the principles of victim safety and sensitivity, offender accountability, and community safety.
Additional Factors for Determining Child Custody
In addition to everything already mentioned, when the court orders custody and parenting arrangements, in considering the best interest of the child, it also has to consider:
- The relationship the child had with each parent before the court case started or before any hearing in the case.
- What the child wants, so long as the child’s reasoning is sound.
- The general health, welfare and social behavior of the minor child.
- Credible evidence of abuse inflicted on any family or household member.
- Credible evidence of child abuse or neglect or domestic intimate partner abuse.
The best thing you can do as a parent to make sure the parenting arrangement that results from your court case is in the best interests of your child is to remember one thing above all else: No matter how contentious things might be between you and the other parent or how hard the feelings, this process is about doing what’s best for your child, not you. Far too many parents lose sight of that and the child suffers even more because of it.
Don’t Go It Alone
It’s important to have the right support during a child custody case to help you help your child. While friends mean well, most of them probably aren’t legal experts or mental health professionals. A good attorney is crucial, and Hightower Reff Law can help. You may also consider a counselor to help you work through your feelings surrounding the custody case so you can clear your head, so to speak, and truly focus on your child.
Next Time …
Check out Part II of our Must Have Information on Child Custody series: 5 Pointers for Your Parenting Plan.
This article should not be construed as legal advice. Situations are unique from one another and it is impossible to provide legal advice for every situation without knowing the individual facts.
