The Best Interests of the Child

In determining whether the move was in the child’s best interests, the court concluded that the mother had been the child’s primary caregiver for most of her life, and that she had a legitimate employment offer in New York City.  The court found that the new opportunity was commensurate with the mother’s advanced degrees and would enable her to financially support and care for the child.

The court further found that the mother was not acting in “bad faith” in pursuing the opportunity, that the mother was engaged to a man that lived and worked in close proximity to where she would be living, and that the mother’s extended family lived close by and would be able to support the mother and the child.

The Court’s Decision

Although the court noted that the move would make visitation more difficult for the father, it found that leaving the child in Connecticut away from her primary caregiver, who did not have an employment opportunity in Connecticut commensurate with her advanced education, was not in the child’s best interests.  The court also observed that the mother’s fiancé worked in the hedge fund industry, had no criminal history and was respectful of the mother’s role in her daughter’s life.

The court also noted that the mother was willing to facilitate and encourage a relationship between the child and the father whereas the father questioned the mother’s parenting decisions without being able to give a persuasive example of poor parenting on the mother’s part.

Maya Murphy P.C. has proudly been included in the 2024 Edition of Best Law Firms®, ranked among the top firms in the nation. In addition, Managing Partner Joseph C. Maya has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America® 2024 for his work in Employment Law and Education Law in Connecticut. Recognition in Best Lawyers® is awarded to firms and attorneys who demonstrate excellence in the industry, and is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor.

Our firm in Westport, Connecticut serves clients with legal assistance all over the state, including the towns of: Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Bethel, Branford, Bridgeport, Brookfield, Cheshire, Danbury, Darien, Derby, East Haven, Easton, Fairfield, Greenwich, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Meriden, Middlebury, Milford, Monroe, Naugatuck, New Canaan, New Fairfield, New Haven, Newton, North Branford, North Haven, Norwalk, Orange, Oxford, Prospect, Redding, Ridgefield, Seymour, Shelton, Sherman, Southbury, Stamford, Stratford, Trumbull, Wallingford, Waterbury, West Haven, Weston, Westport, Wilton, and Woodbridge. In addition to assisting clients in Connecticut, our firm handles education law and employment law matters in New York as well. 

If you have any questions about employment law or education law in Connecticut, or would like to speak to an attorney about a legal matter, please contact Joseph C. Maya and the other experienced attorneys at Maya Murphy, P.C. at (203) 221-3100 or JMaya@Mayalaw.com to schedule a free initial consultation today.