Miami Heat basketball player Dwayne Wade recently reach a settlement with his ex-wife, ending their drawn out divorce process. Dade County residents may have known that the divorce between Wade and his ex-wife was granted in 2010, but the pair just recently reached a financial settlement. Wade’s attorney said that Wade, among other things, has paid his ex-wife $25,000 a month, her mortgage and fees and taxes for 16 lawyers she hired during the divorce and child custody battles. Wade was granted sole custody of the couple’s two sons a year following the divorce in 2011. It will be up to a court if Wade’s ex-wife receives visitation of the couple’s two children.
Child custody can be determined in a couple of ways. Always, however, it is based on the best interests of the children involved. Sole custody is usually granted in cases when one parent is either incapable or unfit to properly fulfill the role of parent. The other common type of custody arrangement is usually referred to as joint legal custody. Under a joint custody arrangement, both parents make decisions about the child’s upbringing and welfare.
Child custody decisions are arrived at either by agreement of the parents of through a determination made by the court if the parents are unable to reach a child custody decision that they can both agree on. The court will look at a variety of factors in arriving at a child custody arrangement but chief among them will be what is in the best interests of the children involved and at the relationship with the children of each parent. Commonly, the parent that is the primary caretaker of the children may be given preference in child custody determinations.
Child custody disputes can involve conflicting and difficult emotions., but parents should try to make the process as smooth as possible for the benefit of the children involved. It may also be possible for Dade County residents to consult an experienced family law lawyer to guide them through the process and ensure that the best outcome possible is achieved for both the children and the parent.
Source: NBCMiami, “Dwayne Wade, Ex-Wife Reach Financial Settlement,” Erica Goode, July 22, 2013