Father fights for child custody while working to retain privacy

There is usually never one reason why parents are not able to keep a marriage on track. When they make the decision to seek a separation and a subsequent divorce, child custody is likely the hardest issue to resolve. As parents in Colorado are aware, there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration when working to balance the best interests of their children while also seeking to ensure that their rights are protected.

When one of the parents involved in a custody dispute is a veteran, there may be other matters that can become factors when a court is seeking to resolve the matter. One such father is now fighting to balance his right to parent his children with protecting his right to privacy. This man has been seeking treatment for PTSD and is receiving full retirement benefits from the veterans’ administration. He states that his metal health condition has no bearing on his ability to effectively parent his children.

The judge in the case recently stated that the father’s mental health did not interfere with his parenting; however, the father’s refusal to provide his records did have some bearing on the judge’s decision making in the case. The father has been granted equal parenting time, but his ex-wife was recently granted the authority to make any final decisions regarding the children. The judge did deny the mother’s request to be granted full custody based on the father’s metal health.

The father stated that he was taking a stand to help other veterans preserve their rights to privacy when it concerns their mental health struggles relating to military service. While it is necessary to ensure a child’s well-being when determining what child custody arrangements will best meet the child’s needs, it is likewise important to protect the rights of otherwise suitable parents. Colorado parents who are struggling to resolve these issues may decide to seek the input of a family law professional in order to settle their dispute in the best manner possible for the parties involved.

Source: 12news.com, “Can military vet’s PTSD records be used against him in child custody dispute?”, Joe Dana, July 25, 2017