Colorado basketball fans may have heard that Paul George, forward for the Indiana Pacers, had to deal with a paternity suit that was filed in the midst of the NBA Eastern Conference finals. George has responded to the suit by requesting another paternity test, because he says he has concerns about the accuracy of the prenatal test relied on by the mother. But in a somewhat unexpected twist, he is also seeking sole custody of the child – a two-month-old girl – if he’s determined to be the father.
George alleges in his petition that as an NBA player he is financially able to provide for the child, and that he has the ability to provide a good home. He alleges that the mother is not cut out to be a good parent, because she is currently unemployed and not seeking employment.
The mother is also seeking sole custody. She argues in her petition that George’s travel schedule would prevent him from spending sufficient time with the girl. Her lawyer characterizes George’s comments about her employment situation as insulting to women, and points out that the reason she’s currently unemployed is because she has a two-month-old child.
Colorado courts look to what is in the best interests of the child when deciding parenting responsibility issues. In evaluating what’s best for the child the judge will take into account a number of factors, including the physical and mental health of everyone involved, how the child interacts with the parents, and whether each parent tries to foster a healthy relationship between the child and the other parent.
Source: ESPN, “Paul George seeks sole custody,” July 1, 2014