Do laws that are written in the best interests of the child have to also be in the best interest of the mother

Question

before they are passed?

It seems that the laws where the "best interests of the child" argument is invoked seem to be laws where the mother also benefits.

Would these laws be laws at all if the father were to benefit?

Answer 1

Since women are typically the primary caretakers of children, most laws do take into effect that in the case of a divorce or separation, children will be in the primary custody of their caretakers - ie the mother.

Answer 2

Legally, I do not think so.  But with the way the courts work you would think it was 1950 wouldn't you?

Answer 3

These laws circulate around the children and the mother and the father is but a small consideration and a part that is treated like, well ok so lets come up with a bit of compromise because the fathers are upset. I don't know if you understand my meaning here but what I'm saying is the father was  not and still is not the point of the laws ends. they are met to take care of the victims and to have victims we need a perpetrator that be us. we are the villains in both the child custody, support and divorce laws.

ok sense some don't thank it is in the interest of the mother to, let me list what she has compare to what i have.

she

has a support obligation based on a hypothetical min. wage

remarried

2 houses

3 vehicles

a camper

a boat

ever fn leather luggage

and of coarse the child who she has to let me see once and a wile

i have

a support obligation based on a real wage and get to pay 70% of the over all obligation why because some one is honest and some one is not.

health insurence for my child

get to see my child once and a wile

a ren down house i can barely keep up with

and hey i am presantly going through bank ruptcy go figure!

hum tell me now who has the good deal here.

edit, you got it wrong this has nothing to do with paying child support. it has every thing to do with getting the short end of the stick and getting to miss out on my child growing up. You just dont get it and never will because you have no idea of what this is all like and as the women do not have to go through it. it is you who does not know what your are talking about!

Answer 4

You are confused.  If the judge believes that giving the mother custody of the children is in the best interest of the children - that is NOT in the best interest of either parent.  It is what it is - in the best interest of the children.  If you are interested in law, you could go to law school, and learn how better to understand the law.

BTW, this is a very tired, old subject.  Can't you think about anything at all except the fact that you have to pay child support?  This is VERY boring for the rest of the world, most of whom do not care about your personal problems and your immaturity that makes it impossible for you to step up to your mature obligations without endless crying.

Answer 5

The laws are gender neutral.

Childrens Act 1989(UK) The welfare of the child is the court's paramount consideration.

The problem is judges and lawyers interpretation of what that means.

The judges usually argue "If anything upsets the mother then the child becomes upset." So if the child was allowed access to his/her father this would distress the mother and would then distress the child and so no access or access under the most draconian circumstances supervised and limited to a couple of hours a week.

Answer 6

"In the best interests of the child" means "in the best interests of the child".  If someone else happens to benefit from it as a result, then that is an unintended side effect of the original law.  In custody cases in court, these laws tend to be interpreted in ways which are favorable to the lawyer's client, but their original intent stands.  Any such maneuvering is all a matter or how the law is applied, and that rests in the judge's hands.

Answer 7

Best interest of the child should have nothing to do with the best interest of either parent.

Answer 8

They're in the best interests of whichever parent gets custody. Believe it or not, sometimes that parent is the FATHER!

Answer 9

laws that are to be written in the best interests of the child-to-be is not going to be in the best interest of the mother-to-be.