It is not uncommon for a divorce dispute to take quite some time to resolve. However, in cases of a lengthy divorce dispute, the pressing issue as to which parent is to have custody over the involved children may need to be resolved first. The child custody process in itself can also take a lengthy amount of time to settle as well, during which there will be no clear determination as to who will have child custody. In such situations, interim child custody may be an option. Interim child custody is a request or motion provided by the parties involved in order to determine a temporary period in which one particular parent will be granted custody while the divorce or child custody process is finalized. Interim child custody, in theory, is not meant to affect the final decision as to which parent will be granted child custody. However, due to issues of practicality, it is quite common for the courts to grant permanent child custody to the parent who is awarded interim child custody.
