As we discussed in a blog post last week, issues surrounding child custody can add a high amount of stress to any couple’s divorce proceedings. Many times the arguments about where a child will live or how much time he or she will spend with a noncustodial parent can continue long after custody arrangements are made and finalized by a judge.
Unfortunately, sometimes these arguments can lead to violence. That’s what happened recently between a couple in Amarillo, Texas. According to local police, officers were called to a home shortly after midnight on Thursday morning last week. A man met the officers outside with a gunshot wound to his forearm. He told them that he and a woman were having an argument over child custody and that she shot him inside the home with a pistol. It’s not clear what the exact relationship status between the two is, whether they were divorced, about to be divorced or simply had children together.
Fortunately, the man’s injury was not life-threatening. Police didn’t make any arrests that night, but they did remove two handguns from the residence. The investigation is continuing and charges are still possible.
This may come as no surprise, but of all the things parents can do to increase their chances of gaining primary child custody, resorting to physical violence is near the bottom of the list. We may not know who has custody of this couple’s children or whether that decision has even been made, but we can reasonably assume that the woman’s shooting of the man won’t be looked upon favorably by a family law judge if she’s currently seeking more time with her children.
Just as when child care gets overly frustrating, when emotions run high during child custody disputes, sometimes the best thing to do is take a few moments to walk away and collect your thoughts to avoid doing something you’ll regret. You might also benefit from talking to a family law attorney who’s accustomed to dealing with frustrating custody situations and can help you address the problem objectively and effectively.
Source: Connect Amarillo.com, “Child custody dispute leads to early-morning shooting,” Travis Ruiz, Oct. 18, 2012
· Our firm handles child custody disputes and many more family law issues. If you’d like to learn more about our practice, visit our Dallas child custody page.