Surprising Child Custody Statistcs

 Posted on April 17, 2013 in Child Custody

Many people automatically assume that because in the majority of divorces, the mother gets custody, that the courts must be biased in the women's favor. But statistical data by Pew Research Center reveals that may not always be the case.

According to the data, a married father spends 6.5 hours per week taking primary care of a child. A married mother spends 12.9 hours. This hold trues in two-income households, where both parents are working outside the home.

The statists on the time non-custodial parents spend with their children are disheartening. The statistics show that when fathers and children live apart, 22 percent of the fathers see their children more than once a week. Twenty nine percent of fathers see their children one to four times a month. And 27 percent of non-custodial fathers have no contact with their children at all.

More child custody statistics reveal that the majority of child custody cases are not decided by the courts. In 51 percent of the cases both parents agreed that the mother should be the custodial parent. In 29 percent of the cases the decision was made without any third party involvement. Only 11 percent of custody cases were decided during mediation with as few as 5 percent being decided after court order custody evaluations.

Many child custody cases can be stressful and confusing. Make sure if you are represented by an experienced Illinois family law attorney to help protect your rights and your children's rights.