HOW CONNECTICUT DETERMINES THE “BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD”

While every family is different, the state of Connecticut considers a similar set of factors when making decisions about whether to award you or someone else custody over your child. These factors should vary to some degree based on the age of your son or daughter, among other variables. However, knowing what they are may give you a more accurate picture of your chances.

Per the Connecticut Judicial Branch, the state often considers the following areas, among others, when making decisions about child custody.

Your capacity to meet your child’s needs

Courts often consider your ability to meet the emotional and financial needs of your son or daughter when determining whether to award you custody. In doing so, the court may examine your existing relationship with the child up until this point.

Your willingness to work with the other parent

In situations where appropriate, the court system may be more likely to grant you custody if you show a willingness to help your child maintain a relationship with his or her other parent. The court may consider the likelihood of you maintaining compliance with court orders when assessing your willingness to work with the other parent.

Your child’s relationships with siblings

If your child has brothers or sisters and maintains close relationships with them, the court may prioritize a custody arrangement that fosters the relationships that exist between or among them.

The stability of a potential home environment

A Connecticut court likely also considers the stability of each potential home environment before deciding whether to award child custody. If your child has already lived in a particularly stable environment for some time now, the state may make efforts to keep him or her there.