Please help us find the law that governs child custody situations in Family Court. What is best interests of the child?
Answer
Many questions about child custody can be answered through CourtHelp and its DIY forms. The term often used in child custody is best interest of the child defined in the CourtHelp Glossary as: The standard that courts use to decide who will take care of the child. Some factors that courts look at are: the age and health of the child, the emotional ties between the parents and the child, the ability of the parents to care for the child, and the child’s ties to school, home, and the community. The term "best interests of the child" is used in Domestic Relations Law § 70 and § 240.
Family Legal Care, a non-profit advocacy group, has excellent guides on Custody and Visitation. From Family Legal Care's Legal Resource Guide page, you can narrow by category, location, and language.
Links & Files
- CourtHelp > Families & Children > Custody Opens in new window
- Courts Outside New York City > Family Court Opens in new window
- Domestic Relations Law § 70 Opens in new window
- Domestic Relations Law § 240 Opens in new window
- Family Legal Care Legal Resource Guides Opens in new window
- New York City Family Court Opens in new window
- Custody_and_Visitation__1_.pdf