What might be a disagreement about the parenting schedules or parenting styles becomes something far more serious when substance abuse is an issue. In New Hampshire family courts, these cases are among the most complex for the parents, for the children caught in the middle, and for the judges tasked with decisions that carry long-term consequences.
Proving your child's safety can be exhausting and scary. Understanding how the issue is dealt with by the court is an important early step for parents with substance use disorders in their lives and a custody case in the New Hampshire courts. The legal standard is in the best interests of the child under RSA 461-A.
Although the presence of past use does not automatically determine the outcome, courts look at current conditions with concern about relapse when a parent is in treatment. How long has the parent been in recovery, and how has it gone? Are there meaningful safeguards in place? Can this parent reliably and safely care for this child today?
The article covers temporary custody orders, graduated parenting plans that expand over time as stability is demonstrated, and practical tools such as remote breathalyzers and supervised parenting time.
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