Family Law
My Spouse is an Alcoholic. How Will This Impact My Custody Case?
By Sandra A. Brooks
The goal is to keep the children safe while still maintaining a relationship with their alcoholic parent. Ideally, both parents and their attorneys are on the same page with implementing safety precautions for the sake of the children. These may include the alcoholic parent enrolling into a sobriety program and maintaining a treatment plan for sobriety through therapy, support groups, etc. Subscribing to a live-time breathalyzer like Soberlink to ensure they are sober while the children are in their care is another helpful tool. Some parents have interlock devices on their vehicles to avoid driving while intoxicated. The age of the child(ren) is also a factor. As children get older, they can call 911 should they need help, but younger children are at more risk with an alcoholic parent because they can’t simply call for help.
If the alcoholic is in denial, things get more complex, and you will need to strategize with your lawyer how to best protect the child(ren).
The goal is not to punish the alcoholic but to keep the children physically and emotionally safe.
