The question of "Who gets custody of the kids?" is one of the most difficult and often the most emotionally draining both for parents and their children, when spouses divorce. Custody and visitation are the legal terms in court ordered determinations of which parent the child lives with and the conditions for the child to visit the other parent. Custody and visitation are never considered to be final. While grandparents and others may seek custody, there is a presumption in favor of the natural parents. This section is designed to give you a general knowledge of the issues involved in determining the parties custody and visitation rights.

The information in this section is not specific to your state. If you need specific legal advice, you should consult with an attorney who is a member of the bar in the state where you are seeking legal advice. This section provides resources on custody that will help you to understand your situation better, as well as enable you to represent yourself in an uncontested divorce action; secure legal advice by telephone for a nominal fee. through, ARAG, a pre-paid legal services provider; or find a divorce attorney in your community.

Resources

Cornell Legal Information Institute: Divorce Materials
Child Support Laws by State from Office of Child Support Enforcement
Child Support Enforcement - a private company
DivorceHelpline- very valuable on California and how to avoid litigation costs in general
DivorceNet- a required stop on any research of the Net on Divorce
Divorce Source -detailed state-by-state information on divorce law.
Family Law Center at Court TV
U.S. House of Representatives: Internet Law Library: Marriage and Divorce
The Divorce, Custody and Alimony Reporter from the Family Law Advisor
Where to Write for Vital Records
Family Law News from Law Journal Extra
Men's Issues Page of the WWW Virtual Library
Getting A Divorce Across State Lines
Divorce and Federal Employee Benefits