Who Decides the Child Religion After a Divorce?

Divorcing parents have many issues to settle, including how to raise their children. Courts may issue joint custody depending on the circumstances and other crucial factors in determining custody. In this arrangement, parents have an equal say in matters affecting their children’s lives, such as school, medical treatment, and religion. 

However, a problem arises when parents need to be more amicable regarding their children. An area of concern is deciding the child’s religion. If you’re a father and disagree with your ex-spouse about your child’s faith, consult fathers’ rights lawyers in Baltimore. They can evaluate the case and help you both reach an agreement.

Will One Parent’s Religion Affect Child Custody?

According to the First Amendment of the US Constitution, individuals have the right to enjoy religious freedom. As such, family law courts can’t discriminate against parents or deny them their custody rights based on their religious beliefs. Courts can’t interfere with the religion parents choose to teach their children.

Nonetheless, when divorcing parents can’t agree on the religion to teach their children, courts must intervene to decide what’s best for the children. The guiding principle, in this case, is the child’s best interests, including their safety, health, and welfare.

What is the Best Interest of the Child regarding Religion?

Courts and men’s child custody attorneys in Baltimore will assess how the activity will impact the child’s well-being in determining whether a child should be allowed to participate in certain religious activities. The judges will look at factors like how the child interacted with each parent’s religion in the past.

If a child has been a member of a particular religious congregation for a considerable time over the other, it would be in their best interest to let them continue participating in that one. That way, the child would continue to have the stability and support they need even as they grapple with their parents’ separation and divorce.

Courts assess each family’s specific circumstances and also apply three legal standards as a guide in deciding which religion the child will practice:

Actual or Substantial Harm Standard

The Constitution provides that a judge won’t limit a parent’s religious affiliation or activities unless there’s proof of substantial harm to the child. Courts can’t hinder parents from raising their children in highly demanding religions such as dietary, dress code, or other activity restrictions.

Moreover, if a court finds no harm in having a child exposed to two different religions, it may not place any limits on the parents. A custody order doesn’t have to restrict one parent’s religious activities just to fit in with the other parent’s view or perception of what religion should entail.

Risk of Harm

Under this standard, courts will consider if a parent’s religion poses any harm to the child. The court may restrict a parent’s right to choose their religion in that case. This standard differs from the actual harm standard because, in this case, the parent only needs to show the risk of harm posed to the child, now or in the future.

No Harm Standard

Under this standard, the custodial parent can decide about the child’s religious involvement without considering actual or potential harm. The no-harm analysis means that courts will generally defer to the custodial parent if the parent disagrees with the non-custodial parent’s religious activities.

If, as a father, you’re the non-custodial parent and your ex-spouse disagrees with your religion-related decisions about your child, it’s natural to feel like your fathers’ rights have been violated. Consult skilled fathers’ rights lawyers in Baltimore to appeal the court’s decision if it upholds your ex-spouse’s decision. You deserve to be heard in matters concerning your child.

Can a Parent Take a Child to Church Without the Other Parent’s Consent?

If your ex-spouse argues that your child should not participate in your religion simply because it’s different from theirs, they must have a sufficient reason. Under joint custody arrangements, both parents have the right to determine how the child spends their time under each parent’s care.

So, a child may go to either parent’s place of worship during their placement. The exception to this situation is when a parent’s religious practices harm the child. For example, if your ex-spouse’s religion forbids medical intervention and you don’t subscribe to that belief, you may want to seek the intervention of experienced fathers’ child custody attorneys in Baltimore.

Not taking the necessary action in this case places your child in pertinent danger. If they don’t receive the necessary medical attention when sick, you and their other parent put their health at risk. You could both be in trouble with the law for neglect and abuse.

When Can a Child Choose a Religion?

If a child is older and of a certain age, the court may allow them to decide on the religion they want to follow. However, the First Amendment doesn’t provide a bright-line rule regarding when a child is old enough to determine their religion. Besides, matters of faith are highly subjective, but children at least 18 years can generally decide. That’s why you need the advice of a skilled fathers’ rights attorney in Maryland to help you in such family matters.

An Experienced Fathers’ Rights Attorney Defending Your Child’s Best Interests

As a father, you have a say over your child’s life after a divorce. If your ex-spouse has made it impossible for you to exercise this right, you should seek the intervention of Baltimore men’s child custody attorneys to fight for your rights. Your child’s best interests come first, regardless of what each parent thinks individually.

At our law firm, we believe in helping fathers fight for their parental rights to counter the gender bias in America’s divorce courts. Our fathers’ rights lawyers are aggressive and won’t rest until you have been heard. If you’re a father whose rights have been violated in divorce, custody, or support cases, we are here to help. Call us to get started today.