Reference no: EM132226947
In writing this essay, only the contents of David R. Shaffer''s "Social and Personality Development" are available. The detailed citation is required (correct page number).
In your paper, you are to take the role of an advisor to Judge Thompson with special training in child development. The judge needs to decide which parent should have physical custody of Amanda and Sean based on "the best interests of the child," which is the legal guideline in child custody cases. In doing so, the judge must also decide whether each child should live with the same parent.
Consider the following case study:
After a 15-year marriage, George and Ginny Taylor are divorcing after several years of a conflictual marriage. They have two children: two-year-old daughter Amanda and 13-year-old son Sean. George is a successful banker in the community, while Ginny has been employed as an administrative assistant at her husband''s bank. Through divorce mediation the couple have made decisions about property division and child support, but they cannot agree on child custody. Each parent is willing to share joint legal custody, but George and Ginny both want sole physical custody of their two children, with the other parent having visitation privileges. An evaluator employed by the court observed each parent separately with the two children. Here are excerpts from the report: "When I observed Amanda and Sean with their mother, Ginny interacted comfortably and playfully with them. Amanda remained close to her mother when I was there, staring uncertainly at me, while Sean ignored me throughout the observation. Ginny talked easily about each child''s personality and specific likes and dislikes. On one occasion, when Amanda wandered over to my chair and picked up one of my books on the floor, Ginny immediately came over and said harshly "Leave things alone that don''t belong to you!" and slapped her daughter''s hand. When I observed Amanda and Sean with their father, George was warm and responsive to them. Amanda seemed comfortable moving around the playroom from the beginning, even coming close to smile at me while checking back with her father. Sean ignored me, except for one occasion in which he responded with hostility to a question I asked him, which his father ignored. George also talked about each child''s unique personality, but he could not as readily identify each child''s specific food preferences or favored TV shows. Each parent seems to love the children and is committed to their welfare. Psychological tests and interviews revealed that each parent is well-adjusted and psychologically healthy. When I asked them about their future plans, Ginny indicated that she plans to move across the country to join a former coworker who has also relocated there, and find a new job. She acknowledged that this was a romantic relationship that might result in marriage. George indicated that he will remain in the community at his current job, and he conveyed his anxiety about keeping in contact with his children if they live so far away."
Your task is to answer three questions the judge has asked of you. Please answer each question in a separate section of your paper:
(1) What are the reasons for giving custody of Amanda and Sean to Ginny? What are the reasons against this choice?
(2) What are the different reasons for giving custody of Amanda and Sean to George? What are the different reasons against this choice?
(3) What is your recommendation for the judge''s decision, and why?