Once you and your wife have become estranged, you need to decide who will stay with your children. If the two of you do not come to an agreement, a child custody dispute will arise, and you may be required to go to a Tennessee court to resolve it. As a father, you may think that you will lose the case after going to court since many judges seem to favor mothers. You may also be worried that your gender will have an impact on the case.
What fathers need to know about child custody
Unlike what many people think, a family court is less likely to favor a mother over a father when solving a child custody dispute. Such courts do not discriminate based on gender. However, you have to establish paternity. After proving you are the father, the court will use several factors to determine whether or not you should be granted child custody. Some of these factors will include:
• Your ability to financially and emotionally support the child
• Depending upon age, the wishes of the child
• How financially stable you are
• How you relate with your child
• The best interest of your child
Like other people, you may think that your gender will prevent you from being granted child custody. However, this is not usually the case. You and the mother of your child have equal opportunities when it comes to child custody. However, the court will consider the items mentioned above along with other factors when it makes its decision. You might want to contact a family law attorney if you are in this type of a situation.