A person’s mental health is generally a private issue; however, it may not be when it comes to child custody cases. Having behavioral or emotional health issues won’t necessarily cause you to lose your custodial rights; however, there are circumstances in which your mental condition may have a negative impact on your custody case.
If your mental health problems have caused you to neglect your child’s basic needs, then that may jeopardize your ability to retain custody of them. If you suffer from periods where self-harm occurs, or you have tendencies to be aggressive, then an Ohio family law judge may find you unfit to care for your son or daughter.
A judge may deem you incapable of caring for your child if your mental health impairments are severe enough that you’re unable to live independently without the assistance of others.
Family law judges are responsible for making decisions that they believe are in the best interests of the child. It’s common for family law judges to do what’s necessary to keep both parents in their son’s or daughter’s life. Many courts see this as being in the best interest of the child.
The judge presiding over your case will carefully weigh the diagnosis that you’ve received and likely want to explore how it impacts your life before making any decisions. The judge may restrict your custodial rights if they determine that your condition is so severe that you cannot provide a safe environment to raise your child.
You shouldn’t assume that you will lose custody of your child because you receive a mental health disorder diagnosis. A judge may decide that you can retain your child’s custody provided that the medication you’re taking and the mental health counseling you’re receiving is successfully keeping your condition at bay.
If you have a mental health disorder, then you may face challenges in securing or maintaining custody of your child. You should be careful to ask any Columbus lawyer you’re considering representing you about their experience in handling such complex cases. An attorney who has previously represented clients in similar situations will have the necessary experience to help you achieve the best results in your Ohio case.