Impact of Adultery on Child Custody Decisions

I’m currently going through a custody battle and wondering if adultery has any impact on child custody decisions. How do courts view adultery when determining custody arrangements? Are there specific circumstances where it can significantly influence the outcome?

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When it comes to child custody decisions, courts primarily focus on the best interests of the child. Generally, adultery does not heavily influence custody decisions unless it directly impacts the child’s well-being.

For instance, if the adulterous behavior involves neglecting the child, exposing them to inappropriate situations, or bringing them into unsafe environments, it could negatively impact the adulterous parent’s custody case.

In addition, adultery might be considered if it affects parental judgment or behavior around the child.

If you are in the US, losing custody due to infidelity is quite rare. It is unrelated to the children, and in the majority of states, if not all of them, the desire is for physical custody to be shared as much as possible between the parents, barring circumstances that render one parent unfit to raise the children.