Filing a Custody Case (Unmarried Parents)

This article is about a custody case between a child's parents. Read this article to learn whether you can file a custody case and what gets decided in the case.

A custody and parenting time order may be granted as part of a divorce case, custody case, or other type of family court case. Custody and parenting time are important decisions that affect where your children live, how often they see each parent, and who makes important decisions for them. Read this article to learn how custody and parenting time decisions are made.

There are 12 factors for judges to use when deciding what custody arrangements are in the best interests of the child. These factors are called the "best interests of the child" factors. Judges use these factors to decide who children live with, who makes decisions for children, and how much time children spend with each parent.

Child support is a parent’s court-ordered payment to help with the costs of raising a child. Child support normally includes a base amount, plus amounts for health and child care costs. Child support can be ordered in a paternity or custody case (if the parents were never married), in a divorce case, or as a support case.

Do you have children and are getting a divorce? Or are you involved in a child support, paternity, or custody case with your child’s other parent? If so, you will probably be involved with the Friend of the Court. This article explains what the Friend of the Court is, when it may become involved in your case, and what to expect when it does.

Mediation is a settlement process that can help you resolve “contested” issues (things you and the other party don’t agree on) in your court case.

A child custody order is not permanent. The court can change it. Read this article to learn more about how a custody order can be changed.