Legal Definitions - friendly-parent law

The friendly-parent law is a legal rule that allows a judge to consider how much one parent encourages or discourages their child's relationship with the other parent when deciding custody arrangements.

For example, if a mother constantly badmouths the father in front of their child and prevents the child from seeing or talking to the father, the judge may consider this behavior when deciding custody. On the other hand, if both parents work together to ensure the child has a positive relationship with both parents, the judge may be more likely to award joint custody.

Another example could be if a father constantly cancels visitation with their child or fails to show up for scheduled visits, the judge may consider this behavior when deciding custody arrangements.

These examples illustrate how the friendly-parent law can be used to promote healthy relationships between children and both parents. It encourages parents to work together and put their child's best interests first.