DOCSLIB.ORG

How Will a Judge Decide Custody? Physical/Residential Custody

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
How Will a Judge Decide Custody? Physical/Residential Custody How will a judge decide custody? Physical/Residential Custody. These two “shared”custody. When looking at child If parents cannot reach a custody agreement, When deciding whether to grant joint terms mean the same thing: the parent’s support only, shared custody means that one parent will need to file a custody case in custody, in addition to the factors above, a right and obligation to provide a home for each parent keeps his or her child overnight court. This may be done as part of a divorce judge considers: the child at given times, and to make day-to- for more than 35 percent of the year, and that proceeding. After the case is filed, the judge The capacity of the parents to communicate day decisions when the child is actually with both parents contribute to the expenses of usually refers the parents to mediation to • and reach shared decisions that parent. the child, as well as paying child support. try to resolve the dispute. If no agreement is reached, a court hearing will be held before a • The willingness of the parents to share custody Joint Physical or Residential Custody. VISITATION/ACCESS judge. The most important thing a judge looks The potential disruption of the child’s social This means the child spends substantial time at when deciding custody is what is in the best • When a child lives the majority of time with and school life with each parent. Joint physical custody interest of the child. Some of the other factors can mean “50/50,” but it doesn’t have to. For one parent and spends scheduled time that a judge considers are listed below. • The demands of the parents’ work example, joint physical custody can mean with the other, it is usually called “visitation.” your child spends three days per week with Sometimes it is called “access” or “parenting • The fitness of the parents (ability to provide Remember that custody and visitation basic care) you and four days with the other parent. The time,” instead of visitation. Some judges use decisions are never considered to be term is also used when a child lives with one the words “physical custody” when referring to • The character and reputation of the parents final. As situations change, parents visitation. For example, “the father has physical parent during the school year and the other • The desires of the parents and agreements may be able to come back to court and custody and that is where the child makes her parent during the summer. between them request changes. home, and the mother has physical custody on Split Custody. The term “split custody” alternate weekends.” • The potential for maintaining relations with extended families only applies to families with multiple children. With split custody, one parent has Supervised Visitation: A judge will order • The preference of the child supervised visitation if it is in the child’s best sole custody of at least one child, and the • The material opportunities affecting the future other parent has sole custody of the other interest. The judge’s order will specify what life of the child type of supervision is needed. It may be children. Each parent has visitation rights. • The age, health, and sex of the child Some courts also call this “divided custody.” that the parent can only visit with the child at a relative’s home. In more serious cases, • Where the parents live and the opportunity Shared Custody. Shared custody has a it may mean that visits can only take place for visitation very narrow meaning that has to do with at a “supervised visitation center,” or in the • The length of separation from a parent MLA :: 1-color logo :: PMS 1807c child support. Maryland’s child support presence of the child’s therapist. Supervised • Whether the parent voluntarily left the child with guidelines are different for parents who visitation is not the norm, and the court will the other parent have “sole” custody and parents who have order it only when there is a very good reason. www.mdlab.org MLA :: 1-color logo :: PMS 1807c Maryland Legal Aid Offices Anne Arundel County Midwestern Maryland 229 Hanover St Carroll, Frederick, The Basics of Annapolis, MD 21401 Washington Child Custody (410) 972-2700 22 S. Market St, Ste 11 Legal Aid Types of Child Custody (800) 666-8330 Frederick, MD 21701 & Visitation Baltimore City (301) 694-7414 This brochure was created by the Maryland Legal Custody. Legal custody is the right Main Office (800) 679-8813 Legal Aid Bureau, Inc. (“Legal Aid”), a non- and obligation to make long-range decisions 500 East Lexington St Northeastern Maryland Equal Access to Justice: Legal Aid Baltimore, MD 21202 Cecil, Harford profit organization dedicated to providing about important issues for your child. That Intake Lines: 103 S. Hickory Avenue high quality legal advocacy to protect means decisions about education, religious (410) 951-7750 Bel Air, MD 21014 (866) MD LAW 4U and advance human rights for individuals, (410) 836-8202 training, discipline, medical care, and other (or 866-635-2948) (800) 444-9529 Maryland Family Law: families and communities. significant matters. Legal custody is not Business Line: Southern Maryland (410) 951-7777 related to where a child lives. You can have (800) 999-8904 Calvert , Charles, Who should read this brochure? St. Mary’s legal custody even if your child is living with Cherry Hill 15364 Prince Frederick Rd The Basics When a couple separates, one of the most someone else. Neighborhood Ctr. P.O. Box 249 606 Cherry Hill Rd 2nd Fl Hughesville, MD 20637 difficult questions is, “Who gets custody of Baltimore, MD 21225 (301) 932-6661 Sole Legal Custody. If you have sole legal (410) 355-4223 the children?” It is often best if parents work (877) 310-1810 of Child custody, you have the authority to make these Baltimore County Upper Eastern Shore out a custody arrangement themselves, 29 W. Susquehanna Ave Caroline, Kent, Queen long-range decisions without having to ask the Ste 305 however it is not always possible. This Anne’s, Talbot Towson, MD 21204 Custody & other parent. Tred Avon Square, Ste 3 brochure is a brief overview of the different (410) 427-1800 210 Marlboro Rd (877) 878-5920 types of custody and the factors a judge will Joint Legal Custody. If you and the other Easton, MD 21601 consider when deciding custody disputes Lower Eastern Shore (410) 763-9676 Visitation parent have joint legal custody, you share Dorchester, Somerset, (800) 477-2543 between parents. an equal voice in making these long-range Wicomico, Worcester Western Maryland 111 High St Allegany, Garrett decisions. For joint legal custody to work, Salisbury, MD 21801 This brochure provides general information, 110 Greene St (410) 546-5511 parents must be able to get along and set Cumberland, MD 21502 not specific legal advice. Every effort is (800) 444-4099 aside their differences for the sake of the child. (301) 777-7474 made to keep this brochure up to date. Metropolitan Maryland (866) 389-5243 However, the law sometimes changes. If you Sometimes parents communicate well Prince George’s Statewide 6811 Kenilworth Ave Long Term Care Assistance have specific legal questions or a pending enough to have joint legal custody, but they Calvert Building, Ste 500 Project Riverdale, MD 20737 legal case, you are strongly encouraged to may be unable to agree from time to time. (800) 367-7563 (301) 560-2100 contact an attorney for legal advice. You One parent may be given “tie-breaking” (888) 215-5316 Farmworker Program (800) 444-4099 MLA :: 1-color logo :: PMS 1807c may be eligible for free legal services from authority, which means that parent can make Montgomery 51 Monroe St., Ste. 1200 Maryland Senior Legal Maryland Legal Aid or from another legal a final decision if good faith attempts at joint Rockville, MD 20850 Helpline services organization in your community. decision-making don’t work. (240) 314-0373 (800) 896-4213 Howard Visit 3451 Court House Dr www.peoples-law.org 2nd Floor for self-help legal Ellicott City, MD 21043 information and (410) 480-1057 community resources. Equal Justice www.mdlab.org Rev 8.2012 for Maryland TTY Users: Call Maryland Since 1911 Relay Dial 7-1-1.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Chickasaw Nation Code Title 6, Chapter 2
    Domestic Relations & Families (Amended as of 08/20/2021) CHICKASAW NATION CODE TITLE 6 "6. DOMESTIC RELATIONS AND FAMILIES" CHAPTER 1 MARRIAGE ARTICLE A DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE Section 6-101.1 Title. Section 6-101.2 Jurisdiction. Section 6-101.3 Areas of Jurisdiction. Section 6-101.4 Applicable Law. Section 6-101.5 Definitions of Marriage; Common Law Marriage. Section 6-101.6 Actions That May Be Brought; Remedies. Section 6-101.7 Consanguinity. Section 6-101.8 Persons Having Capacity to Marry. Section 6-101.9 Marriage Between Persons of Same Gender Not Recognized. Section 6-101.10 Grounds for Divorce. Section 6-101.11 Petition; Summons. Section 6-101.12 Notice of Pendency Contingent upon Service. Section 6-101.13 Special Notice for Actions Pending in Other Courts. Section 6-101.14 Pleadings. Section 6-101.15 Signing of Pleadings. Section 6-101.16 Defense and Objections; When and How Presented; by Pleadings or Motions; Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings. Section 6-101.17 Reserved. Section 6-101.18 Lost Pleadings. Section 6-101.19 Reserved. Section 6-101.20 Reserved. Section 6-101.21 Reserved. Section 6-101.22 Reserved. Section 6-101.23 Reserved. Page 6-1 Domestic Relations & Families Section 6-101.24 Reserved. Section 6-101.25 Reserved. Section 6-101.26 Reserved. Section 6-101.27 Summons, Time Limit for Service. Section 6-101.28 Service and Filing of Pleadings and Other Papers. Section 6-101.29 Computation and Enlargement of Time. Section 6-101.30 Legal Newspaper. Section 6-101.31 Answer May Allege Cause; New Matters Verified by Affidavit.
    [Show full text]
  • Shared Parenting Laws: Mistakes of Pooling? Margaret F
    Notre Dame Law School NDLScholarship Journal Articles Publications 2014 Shared Parenting Laws: Mistakes of Pooling? Margaret F. Brinig Notre Dame Law School, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.nd.edu/law_faculty_scholarship Part of the Family Law Commons Recommended Citation Margaret F. Brinig, Shared Parenting Laws: Mistakes of Pooling?, Notre Dame Legal Studies Paper No. 1426 (August 14, 2014). Available at: https://scholarship.law.nd.edu/law_faculty_scholarship/1116 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Publications at NDLScholarship. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal Articles by an authorized administrator of NDLScholarship. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Shared Parenting Laws: Mistakes of Pooling? Margaret F. Brinig, Notre Dame Law School In their recent paper “Anti-Herding Regulation,” forthcoming in the Harvard Business Review,1 Ian Ayres and Joshua Mitts argue that many well-intentioned public policy regulations potentially harm rather than help situations. That is, because the rules seek to pool—or herd—groups of people, treating them as equal, they miss or mask important differences among the regulated, thus magnifying systematic risk. Anti- herding regulation, on the other hand, can produce socially beneficial information, in their words steering “both private and public actors toward better evidence-based outcomes.” Left to their own, or with various carrot-and-stick incentives, some groups, anyway, would instead fare better if allowed to separate or diverge. Ayres and Mitts buttress their case with examples from engineering (bridges collapsing because soldiers crossed them in cadences matched to the structures’ oscillations), finance (mandating only low percentages down for real estate purchasers), biodiversity and ecosystem stability, and genetic variation itself.
    [Show full text]
  • Child Custody Arrangements: Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say
    Land & Water Law Review Volume 31 Issue 2 Article 15 1996 Child Custody Arrangements: Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say DeNece Day Koenigs Kimberly A. Harris Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.uwyo.edu/land_water Recommended Citation Koenigs, DeNece Day and Harris, Kimberly A. (1996) "Child Custody Arrangements: Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say," Land & Water Law Review: Vol. 31 : Iss. 2 , pp. 591 - 621. Available at: https://scholarship.law.uwyo.edu/land_water/vol31/iss2/15 This Comment is brought to you for free and open access by Law Archive of Wyoming Scholarship. It has been accepted for inclusion in Land & Water Law Review by an authorized editor of Law Archive of Wyoming Scholarship. Koenigs and Harris: Child Custody Arrangements: Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say Comment CHILD CUSTODY ARRANGEMENTS: Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say INTRODUCTION In Wyoming, custody battles place judges and court commissioners in King Solomon's' position nearly everyday as they are asked to split children between divorcing parents.2 Of course, judges and commissioners do not wield swords, but they do use legal terms which are often inade- quate and misused.' Unfortunately, the modem day result, though not as graphic as that from the Bible, is just as severe. As many as one in every two marriages will result in divorce.4 Thirty percent of children today will be the focus of a custody decision., For too many of these children, their lives will be adversely affected by an improper custody arrangement caused by the erroneous use of the term "joint custody." 6 The law as it stands in Wyoming does not adequately consider the non-legal aspects of custody or give practitioners and judges the guidance necessary to make appropriate custody determinations.' Gurney v.
    [Show full text]
  • Divorce, Annulment, and Child Custody
    DIVORCE, ANNULMENT, AND CHILD CUSTODY : DISCLAIMER The information on this page is intended for educational purposes only. It is not legal advice. If you have specific questions, or are experiencing a situation where you need legal advice, you should contact an attorney. Student Legal Services makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information on this page. However, the law changes frequently and this site should not be used as a substitute for legal advice. It is highly recommended that anyone accessing this page consult with an attorney licensed in the state of Wyoming prior to taking any action based on the information provided on this page. DIVORCE A divorce is when two individuals petition the court to formally end their marriage. Divorce includes the division of marital property. If a couple has children, the court also will determine the custody arrangement for those children. You can learn more about divorce on the Equal Justice Wyoming website here. It is possible to complete the divorce process without an attorney. Completing the process without an attorney is called a “pro se divorce.” Divorces without attorneys are easiest when there are no children and the parties agree about the majority of the property distribution. You can access directions and packets for a pro se divorce here. ANNULMENT An annulment is when the marriage is dissolved as if it never existed. It is very hard to receive an annulment and most marriages will not qualify. Annulments occur in two situations. When the marriage is void and when the marriage is voidable. VOID MARRIAGES: When a marriage is void, it means that the marriage could not have taken place under the law—therefore it does not exist.
    [Show full text]
  • Divorce and Other Options for Ending Your Marriage with Children in Washington State
    3240EN | October 2020 www.WashingtonLawHelp.org Divorce and Other Options for Ending Your Marriage with Children in Washington State 3240EN | October 2020 www.WashingtonLawHelp.org Table of Contents Part 1. Ending the Relationship ....................................................................... 1 Part 2. Where to File ......................................................................................... 2 Part 3. How long will it take? ........................................................................... 1 Part 4. I want child support or a parenting schedule now. What do I do? ... 2 Part 5. Dividing Property & Debts ................................................................... 1 Part 6. Custody and Visitation ......................................................................... 1 Part 7. Child support ........................................................................................ 1 Part 8. Our Do-it-Yourself Resources ............................................................. 2 This publication provides general information concerning your rights and responsibilities. It is not intended as a substitute for specific legal advice. © 2020 Northwest Justice Project — 1-888-201-1014 (Permission for copying and distribution granted to the Alliance for Equal Justice and to individuals for non- commercial purposes only.) Table of Contents | Page - 1 3240EN | October 2020 www.WashingtonLawHelp.org Part 1. Ending the Relationship A. Do I need a reason to get a divorce? No. Washington is a “no-fault” divorce
    [Show full text]
  • Sole Legal and Sole Physical Custody
    Sole Legal and Sole Physical Custody walllegalsolutions.com /4954-2/ In the state of Utah, there are two different facets of child custody. Physical custody dictates where a child lives, while legal custody refers to which parent can make important decisions regarding their child’s health, education, religion and overall wellbeing. In most cases, the court presumes joint legal custody is in the child’s best interest. However, the state recognizes a few different custody arrangements for minors, including sole legal and sole physical; joint legal and joint physical; joint legal and sole physical; and split custody. Differences between Sole Legal and Sole Physical Custody Either parent may be granted sole legal and sole physical custody of the child(ren), becoming the custodial parent. Here is a look at what’s encompassed by each type of custody. Sole Legal Custody Sole legal custody grants one parent full legal right and responsibility to be the sole decision-maker in regards to the minor child and his or her education, health, safety, daycare provisions, and religion, but the non-custodial parent is granted the right to be provided information by the custodial parent on those decisions. Sole Physical Custody Physical custody refers to who has the authority to determine the child’s physical place of residence. However, even when sole physical custody is granted to one parent, the non-custodial parent often receives the right to visitation/parent time in order to spend time with their minor child(ren). Sole Custody and Relocating Even if a parent is awarded sole physical and sole legal custody of a minor, it does not grant them the right to relocate without permission from the court.
    [Show full text]
  • An Overview of Divorce
    An Overview of Divorce 1 Table of Contents Options for Ending the Marriage 3 The Decision to Get Divorced 6 How Are Property and Debts Divided at Divorce 8 Issues if You Have Children 11 Changing Your Name 14 Seven Legal Documents to Update Now 15 No one goes into marriage thinking it will end in divorce. You get married and you picture a happily ever after. You realize you and your spouse will have problems, but you think you’ll overcome them together. However, sometimes those problems amount to more than you can bear. While our marriages and divorces have been on different grounds, we go through many of the same things, including the legal decisions about what to do with property, debt and most of all, children. This guidebook is designed to give a high level overview of the divorce process so you can make informed decisions. 2 Options for Ending the Before filing for divorce, you should be aware of all the different legal paths you can pursue. Below are descriptions of Marriage your options. Divorce Divorce is the legal termination of a marriage and all rights and responsibilities associated with it. Divorce can be either contested or uncontested. Uncontested Divorce Contested Divorce • Couple generally agrees • Couple does not agree on on terms of divorce. terms of divorce. • Court will not need to • Court will need to hear make decisions on how from both parties and make property is divided. decisions based on law. Whether you both agree on the terms of the divorce or have many items up in the air, it’s generally wise to consult with an attorney when entering a divorce.
    [Show full text]
  • Legal and Practical Aspects of Child Custody, Visitation and Maintenance: a Case Study in SNNP Regional State
    Legal and Practical Aspects of Child Custody, Visitation and Maintenance: A Case Study in SNNP Regional State Nigussie Afesha . Abstract Although divorce disrupts the marital bond thereby terminating marital rights and obligations, each parent’s obligations to the wellbeing and upbringing of children (custody, visitation rights, and maintenance) persists. This article examines the practice of courts with regard to child custody, visitation rights and obligation to supply maintenance in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP) Regional State. The experience of various court decisions in SNNP Regional State with respect to these matters is explored. Since the laws do not have detailed provisions that regulate the various issues of child custody, visitation and child support, there is inconsistency in judicial decisions. Many decisions do not distinguish between physical and legal custody. As a result, the legal and physical custody of the child usually rest on the same person. With regard to visitation, there is variation in court decisions although the conventional arrangement seems standard visitation. In some cases, courts specify the duration and form of visitation. However, in many cases, courts do not indicate how and when visitation shall be allowed. There are cases where courts overlook the issue of visitation. There is also inconsistency in court decisions with regard to child support. These problems call for detail provisions to ensure consistency and predictability in child custody, visitation and child support decisions. Key terms Family · Divorce · Child custody · Visitation · Maintenance DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/mlr.v11i2.2 Received: 8 August 2017 Accepted: 30 December 2017 This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND) .
    [Show full text]
  • Divorce Child Custody Arrangements
    Divorce Child Custody Arrangements thermolabileKimball benefiting Scot instituteidiotically? her Is ebbs Artie disgustingly convictive or and incised espalier when wordlessly. hutted some blackouts overstays helically? Creamlaid and blest Pincas grubbing while How holidays such an obstacle for child custody agreement of The definition of safe custody is correct child custody arrangement in. In both studies the factors that best predicted the child's adaptation to bank were family dynamics child characteristics and inter-parental relationships Overall. Skilled Family your Attorney Reveals the generous Child Custody except for more Discover the Reliable and Convenient Template Today. There is even the joint custody arrangement where the task remain in safe family. What its Common Custody Arrangements When it comes to children Texas Courts need not enter a Parenting Plan that details custody visitation child support. Courts usually pick this care custody arrangement once the parents begin living separately even if possible divorce does not been finalized A judge did order joint. Joint physical custody or the preferred type as child custody arrangement in some. The most common shriek as decorate the physical custody of temporary child in 5050 custody. Child custody Avvo. How update a judge determine best measure of delinquent child? Decisions about its custody typically arise in proceedings involving divorce annulment separation adoption or parental death. Types of another Custody Arrangements HGorg. Orange County jail Custody Lawyer Best title Attorney. The divorced parents' living arrangements following satisfy the locations of extended relatives and grandparents and curious children's educational and medical. Co-Parenting and subsequent Custody Tips for Divorced Parents.
    [Show full text]
  • Co-Parenting: from Conflict to Cooperation
    Co-Parenting: From Conflict to Cooperation Tuesday, September 11, 2018 Hruska Law Center, Lincoln This page intentionally left blank. This page intentionally left blank. FACULTY BIOS Angela Dunne, Managing Partner, Koenig|Dunne, PC, LLO: Angela Dunne is the managing partner of Koenig|Dunne where her career has focused exclusively on divorce-related work. Ms. Dunne is a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. She was also appointed by the Chief Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court to serve on the Nebraska Child Support Advisory Commission, making their recommendation to the Nebraska Supreme Court and served on the NSBA Ad Hoc Committee to discuss the Parenting Act issues which were raised in the Nebraska Legislature. In 2013 Angela Dunne co-Authored the second edition of "Divorce In Nebraska: The Legal Process, Your Rights and What to Expect" with Susan Ann Koenig. Ms. Dunne received her JD from the University of Nebraska College of Law. This page intentionally left blank. We are 1excited to announce Angela's boo,.k is now availab1le Bring in YOUrcopy A Gutde w Co-P..:zre.11.c111g to be signed by Aiigela/ ' ~ Patched Up Parenting lrngela J. Dunne. J.0. Purchase Now On P a t ched u p P a l""ent i.ng p !"esen t s p ractical advice and tips and empowers ARN ES m ot hers and fa.th.er,s t o INOBLE par ent b etter no m a t ter the ci:rcu:m.stances. amazon Best Interests of Children Over the decades, states across the country have consistently raised the question about parenthood after divorce.
    [Show full text]
  • The District of Columbia's Joint Custody Presumption: Misplaced Blame and Simplistic Solutions
    Catholic University Law Review Volume 46 Issue 3 Spring 1997 Article 4 1997 The District of Columbia's Joint Custody Presumption: Misplaced Blame and Simplistic Solutions Margaret Martin Barry Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarship.law.edu/lawreview Recommended Citation Margaret M. Barry, The District of Columbia's Joint Custody Presumption: Misplaced Blame and Simplistic Solutions, 46 Cath. U. L. Rev. 767 (1997). Available at: https://scholarship.law.edu/lawreview/vol46/iss3/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by CUA Law Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Catholic University Law Review by an authorized editor of CUA Law Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA'S JOINT CUSTODY PRESUMPTION: MISPLACED BLAME AND SIMPLISTIC SOLUTIONS MargaretMartin Barry* Joint custody made its statutory debut in 1979 with the passage of Cali- fornia's Family Law Act.' Today, most states acknowledge joint custody as an option. Several jurisdictions, however, have significantly limited the applicability of joint custody, while only eight have made it presumptive.' * The author is an Assistant Professor at the Columbus School of Law at The Catho- lic University of America, where she teaches the Families and the Law Clinic. Many of the statements found in this Article arise from her experience. The author would like to give special thanks to Professors Karen Czapanskiy and Naomi R. Cahn for taking the time to review the article and offer insightful comments. She also would like to thank her research assistant, Nancy Palermo, for her reliable and skilled research in the preparation of this article.
    [Show full text]
  • The Intersection of Gender and Sexual Identity in US Child Custody
    University of Massachusetts Amherst ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst Open Access Dissertations 9-2011 Defining Legal arP enthood: The Intersection of Gender and Sexual Identity in U.S. Child Custody Decisions, 2003-2009 Kristina A. Watkins University of Massachusetts Amherst, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/open_access_dissertations Part of the Sociology Commons Recommended Citation Watkins, Kristina A., "Defining Legal arP enthood: The Intersection of Gender and Sexual Identity in U.S. Child Custody Decisions, 2003-2009" (2011). Open Access Dissertations. 496. https://scholarworks.umass.edu/open_access_dissertations/496 This Open Access Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. It has been accepted for inclusion in Open Access Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. For more information, please contact [email protected]. DEFINING LEGAL PARENTHOOD: THE INTERSECTION OF GENDER AND SEXUAL IDENTITY IN U.S. CHILD CUSTODY DECISIONS, 2003-2009 A Dissertation Presented by KRISTINA A. WATKINS Submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Massachusetts Amherst in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY September 2011 Sociology © Copyright by Kristina A. Watkins 2011 All Rights Reserved DEFINING LEGAL PARENTHOOD: THE INTERSECTION OF GENDER AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION IN U.S. CHILD CUSTODY DECISIONS, 2003-2009 A Dissertation Presented by KRISTINA A. WATKINS Approved as to style and content by: _______________________________________ Joya Misra, Chair _______________________________________ Naomi Gerstel, Member _______________________________________ Miliann Kang, Member ____________________________________ Donald Tomaskovic-Devey, Chair Department of Sociology DEDICATION To my wife Deb, my mother Leeanne, and in memory of Grandpa ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My advisor Joya Misra provided nothing but encouragement and support throughout graduate school.
    [Show full text]