In 2017, TV star Tom Arnold’s wife told him that she wanted a divorce. He later said that he did not want to battle over child custody issues and wanted to keep life as normal as possible for his children, so he asked his wife if they could keep living in the same household as a family. For a while, they did, but it eventually led to a child custody battle that is still ongoing today. There may be Colorado parents who can relate to the former couple’s situation.
Allegations of unfit parenting must be substantiated
If a Colorado parent who has filed for divorce believes that his or her former spouse is an unfit parent, then it may be appropriate to request sole child custody in court. However, a family court judge will want to see evidence that substantiates any accusation the parent is making against the other parent, such as substance abuse or domestic violence. In Arnold’s case, he says that his ex has called the police numerous times to claim that he was abusive or was neglecting his parental duties. He says that every time police arrived, they watched surveillance films and investigated the situation only to determine that the allegations were without merit.
Parental conflict in a divorce can cause tremendous stress to children
Arnold has lamented that his two children, ages 5 and 7, have never seen their parents hug. He said he believes contention between parents, especially regarding child custody issues, causes confusion and stress for children, and he was hoping to avoid both where his own kids are concerned. Arnold wound up suffering a serious medical crisis, however, that he says was caused by the mental and emotional stress of his ex’s continuing efforts to discredit him and rob him of his parental rights by repeatedly accusing him of being an unfit parent.
The court focuses on children’s best interests
When children in Colorado or beyond are learning to cope with divorce, it is helpful if their parents are willing to cooperate and work as a team regarding child custody issues. If one parent is always at the other’s throat or tries to undermine his or her parental rights, it can take months or even years to resolve the legal problems that arise. Any parent who is worried about such issues may seek immediate support by requesting a consultation with an experienced family law attorney.
