Legal Question in Family Law in Michigan
Custody rights
I had an affair - I have two children ages 5 and 3 - Looking at possible divorce - My wife says that if I pursue a relationship with the other woman - I will be jeopardizing my rights to my kids - That my kids will be taken away from me - and I will have to have supervised Visits with the children to ensure that the other woman is not present. Is this true ? I do not plan to subject my kids to a new woman for a long time - Will the courts render me unfit , because i am seeing a woman that i had an affiar with ?
3 Answers from Attorneys
Re: Custody rights
There is no standard rule that applies to every case. Your wife is incorrect. Your children won't be 'taken away' from you simply because you see another woman after you are divorced, even if it is the same woman you had an affair with during the marriage.
Every case is different, and governed by its own facts. If you deisre more information I would need to know more about your specific case.
-Tom
Re: Custody rights
Your rights to both joint legal custody and visitation will not be affected by your affair, as long as you keep the other woman out of the kids lives while the divorce is pending and thereafter for awhile. If you make the relationship with the other woman more permanent, then the court would be understanding about including her in things. Be careful right now. Keep her away from the kids just to be safe. Based on what you told me, you have nothing to worry about. William S. Stern