Learn About the Law
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Current as of January 01, 2024 | Updated by FindLaw Staff
(a) The primary objective of this article is to serve the child's best interests by facilitating:
(1) Stability of the child;
(2) Collaborative parental planning and agreement about the child's custodial arrangements and upbringing;
(3) Continuity of existing parent-child attachments;
(4) Meaningful contact between a child and each parent, and which is rebuttably presumed to be equal (50-50) custodial allocation of the child;
(5) Caretaking and parenting relationships by adults who love the child, know how to provide for the child's needs, and who place a high priority on doing so;
(6) Security from exposure to physical or emotional harm;
(7) Expeditious, predictable decisionmaking and avoidance of prolonged uncertainty respecting arrangements for the child's care and control; and
(8) Meaningful contact between a child and his or her siblings, including half-siblings.
(b) A secondary objective of this article is to achieve fairness between the parents consistent with the rebuttable presumption of equal (50-50) custodial allocation.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - West Virginia Code Chapter 48. Domestic Relations § 48-9-102. Objectives; best interests of the child - last updated January 01, 2024 | https://codes.findlaw.com/wv/chapter-48-domestic-relations/wv-code-sect-48-9-102.html
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature or via Westlaw before relying on it for your legal needs.
A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes, visit FindLaw's Learn About the Law.
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)