Section 9.12 Moral Fitness

• Library: Family Law (2019 Supp)

E. (§9.12) Moral Fitness

The character of a parent is a proper subject for consideration by the trial court in determining the custody of a child.

See Newsom v. Newsom, 976 S.W.2d 33 (Mo. App. W.D. 1998), in which the court found that “‘[a] good environment and a stable home is generally considered as the most important single consideration in custody cases.’” Id. at 39 (quoting R v. R, 685 S.W.2d 598, 602 (Mo. App. S.D. 1985)). In Newsom, evidence was presented of the father’s extensive history of...