Experienced, Empathetic Advocacy In Family Law And Criminal Defense

Protest focuses on the child custody rights of women

On Behalf of | May 19, 2016 | Child Custody

Many people in Texas believe that in a custody battle between a man and a woman, the woman will have a distinct advantage in court. In reality, however, the days when it was assumed that women are better caregivers than men are long gone. What can lead to a child custody disparity is money and which party has the ability to launch a lengthy legal battle.

That issue led some women to take to the streets and protest over Mother’s Day weekend. The women were trying to bring attention to an issue that often goes unnoticed in the debate over how to approach child custody cases. The protesters hoped to raise awareness of the fact that some men with a history of abuse and/or violence will use the court system as a means to further punish their former wives or girlfriends.

Child custody cases can take a long time to resolve, especially if one party has every intention of dragging the process on for as long as possible. That costs money, and many women who have left an abusive relationship have limited access to funds. In some cases, their spouse is taking steps to block their access to marital wealth. For those who were not married or who left the union well in advance of a custody case, their earning potential could be decreased based on their decision to remain home and care for one or more children.

When a woman is faced with a child custody fight that she cannot afford, it is important to take swift action to determine one’s rights. There are resources available to assist women in this scenario, including legal aid services. In addition, it may be possible to ask the Texas court to order that the parent with access to the most money foot the bill for part or all of a child custody fight.

Source: northjersey.com, “Women rally outside Passaic court for fairness in child-custody battles“, Richard Cowen, May 6, 2016

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