Divorce, Children, And Religion

 Posted on July 27, 2012 in Family Law

Nowadays, it is not uncommon to get married to someone who does not share your religious views. This might, however, lead to serious disputes in case of a divorce. Numbers of interfaith marriages are increasing, and divorces are not becoming less common, so this is a topic worth discussing.

Last month, we posted about about Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes getting a divorce. It is common knowledge that Tom Cruise is a scientologist, and this fits perfectly to our topic.

Globalgrind reported a follow-up story on this celebrity divorce, saying Suri and Katie are now leaving scientology behind. According to the story, Katie has enrolled Suri in a private Catholic school, even though Tom wanted her to go to a scientology school. Fortunately, Tom and Katie have reached a settlement, putting Suri's happiness and education above their own preferences.

Unfortunately, not all parents can settle their differences like Tom and Katie have. When these disputes are taken to court, the court has to consider the situation from multiple points of view. The First Amendment gives the parent the right to free exercise of religion and raising their child as they see fit, but when courts are looking at custody and visitation arrangements, they must protect the best interest of the child. One parent's complaints over the other's religious activities and whether they are suitable for the child are not an easy issue for courts to settle. Sometimes the children can have their own say in the matter. This usually applies for children over 12 as far as religion and custody are concerned.

This is only one of the issues you will be facing when you are dealing with divorce. Many aspects, such as the one mentioned in this post, may be difficult even for courts to decide on, so it is no wonder if you are struggling with these issues. However, you should not face these troubles alone! When you are dealing with divorce, get experienced legal help. Contact an experienced divorce attorney, and have them help you with your case.