Rapper Ludacris shocked fans with his sudden marriage to girlfriend Eudoxie Mbouguiengue two weeks after announcing his engagement. However, his ex believes his motive for marrying may be to bolster a bid for custody of their 1-year-old daughter by claiming that it is to the child's advantage to be raised in a two-parent home instead of remaining in the care of her single mother.
Tamika Fuller, the mother of the child, says Ludacris has filed for full custody and is motivated by a desire to avoid having to pay child support. Previously, Ludacris has requested to have his $7,000 per month child support payments lowered to $1,800 per month or less. Fuller also claims that Ludacris has yet to actually meet his daughter Cai in person, despite the fact that she has not objected to him building a relationship with the girl.
When determining child custody, courts use the "best interests of the child" as their overall guideline. The income of the parents is not considered as long as each parent can provide the child with the basic necessities of food, shelter, clothing, and medical care. A two-parent home is not necessarily preferable to a single-parent home as long as both parents are able to provide physical supervision, appropriate discipline, and emotional support for the child.
However, the bond each parent has with the child remains an important factor in determining custody. Courts tend to favor the parent who has previously served as the child's primary caregiver, especially if he or she is willing to continue to allow the child opportunity for visitation with the noncustodial parent.
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Please call our office at (626) 683-8113 or email us at info@PasadenaLawOffice.com if you are a parent who has concerns about child custody, visitation, and/or child support arrangements. Our team of skilled Pasadena divorce lawyers are eager to advocate for the interests of both you and your children within the state's family court system.