The Alaska Supreme Court has stated on many occasions that child custody determinations are among the most difficult in the law. The custody issue is to be resolved in what is in the child's, not the parent's, best interests. Previously, the factors that the court considers in awarding custody were set forth. This section examines the difficult issue of resolving custody disputes and methods of preparation and strategies that can result in an award of custody which is appropriate and best for the child.
Many parents begin custody battles with bitter resentment which often stems from anger at a spouse.
This anger may translate into a desire to win everything at all costs. Some parents aggressively litigate custody out of a desire to reduce or eliminate a child support obligation. All of these underlying motivations may backfire against the parent who desires custody of children. As stated above, the court must look at what is in the best interests of the child, not the best interests of the parent. By shifting the focus away from the needs of a parent towards the needs of a child, a party in a custody dispute can effectively modify behavior and strategy to act in a manner which will later show a judge, custody investigator or Guardian ad Litem that the parent's primary focus is on the child's needs.