Alternate custody in the light of the current and ongoing legal regulations

Abstract

This article discusses the issue of entrusting parents by the court with alternate custody over a common minor child after their separation. While the doctrine and judicature of family law have devoted a lot of attention to the problem of care, alternating care is still a relatively new issue. In addition to explaining the concept of alternate custody, the author discusses the applicable legal regulations of the Family Code, which enable the court to issue a decision on this subject. An important issue raised in this study is the discussion of changes in the rules aimed at making alternating custody a priority method of exercising parental authority. The problem of exercising parental authority after the parents break up presented in this article is important as it concerns a growing group of children. Among married couples divorced in 2019 alone, almost 57 percent raised 55 thousand underaged children. Considering the fact that the issue of entrusting parents with alternate care according to the changes being processed is highly controversial, the author, apart from the arguments of the initiators of introducing new regulations in this area, also presents the views of those circles which take a position on this matter. In conclusion, the author, based on her experience gained as a professional representative in family matters, refers to the proposed changes.