California sports fans may be aware of the highly contentious divorce and custody battle between football star Deion sanders and his estranged wife, Pilar. The former couple has been in and out of court for some time now, and the end is still not in sight for both their divorce and child custody issues. A custody trial is approaching, and a family court judge has issued a temporary decision that will determine each parent’s role in the timeframe leading to their next court appearance.
Prior to the recent decision, the couple’s three children were living apart from one another, with the two boys residing with their father and their daughter remaining with her mother. The new decision places all three children together, but rotating between the two households on a weekly basis. This should help them establish some level of stability as the case moves forward.
The judge ordered that while the parents are to divide custody on an equal basis, Deion will be granted the authority to determine the legal residence of the children. This could be very important in future hearings. In addition, Deion was given the ability to make all decisions concerning the children’s education and involvement in athletic activities.
For parents who are facing child custody struggles, the most important factor is to ensure that one is properly prepared. Working out a custody agreement outside of court is always preferable, but not always a possibility. When it comes to presenting an argument in front of a family court judge, full knowledge of all applicable custody statutes is essential to achieve a successful outcome, in California and elsewhere.
Source: nbcdfw.com, “Judge: Deion to Make Educational, Residential, Athletic Decisions for Children,” Frank Heinz, Jan. 16, 2013
