Parental Responsibility and Father’s Rights

In the past, fathers were considered the Plan B in a child custody case. Thanks to changes in our laws that favor shared parenting, fathers are now receiving as much consideration as a primary custodian for their children as mothers have in the past. Advocates for father’s rights have gained support as they look to eliminate the perceived bias against fathers in custody cases in favor of mothers when courts are called upon to rule which living arrangement will be in the best interests of the child or children in question.

“The presumption that children are better off with their mother is no longer the case. It has become more frequent that, in addition to equal time sharing, more and more fathers are seeking sole parenting responsibility of their children. This is serving to balance the importance of both parents in the child’s life,” said Norman Green, Senior Partner at Green & Metcalf of Vero Beach, FL.

Fathers seeking more equitable consideration in court decisions have many society changes on their side such as wage increases that bring more women into the workplace and more fathers choosing to be stay-at-home dads. With a shift in gender roles, judges are forced to consider the new role of fathers who petition to become primary caregivers to children and what affect – if any – that will have on the child’s anticipated development and maturation process.

“In any divorce, co-parenting is always the best option so children have both parents in their lives. However, when that isn’t an option, fathers can often easily step into a primary caregiver role and provide all the necessary love and care a child needs on a daily basis,” Green said.

Norman A. Green is the founder and a partner of Green & Metcalf - Attorneys At Law. He has over 40 years of experience in the practice fields of criminal defense and family law (divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, modifications of existing orders, prenuptial agreements and alimony cases).