How Does Remarriage Affect Child Custody?

When it comes to children’s living circumstances, the court holds “what is in the best interest of the child” as their most determining factor. With that in mind, parents are often worried about beginning a new romantic relationship, because they fear that it may create an environment in which their child does not feel comfortable. Not only would a parent with physical custody worry about this, but a non-custodial parent as well, as they already have their child with them for a limited amount of time, and would not want to give the court a reason to further limit this time. But does that mean a parent can’t begin an intimate relationship with a new person, let alone remarry?

First, it’s important to recognize the common scenarios in which remarriage affects a child’s life. For instance, if the remarriage might lead to a relocation of one of the parents, and in that scenario, the child’s life would be greatly affected. If the custody agreement states the parents have equal time, then a move like this would severely impact the agreement and the child’s current state. In this scenario, the custody agreement would have to be modified in order to allow such a move.

Another instance where remarriage can impact the custody of a child is if the new spouse and the child do not have a good relationship. While this can be in the form of physical abuse, it does not have to be. Again, it is what is in the best interest of the child that the courts care about primarily, and if they feel that the presence of the new spouse has a negative impact on the child, they will be more than willing to make a modification of the custody agreement. The court will look to see a corresponding change in the child, whether it be in school or in their behavior, to signal that the current set-up is not working.

Ultimately, if one of the parents is planning on remarrying, then the new spouse should want to develop a positive and fostering relationship with the child, whether the parent wants to potentially gain more custody time, or preserve the custody arrangement they have currently.