Domestic Relations Law �240 provides that the “court shall enter such orders for custody . . . as, in the court’s discretion, justice requires, having regard to the circumstances of the case and of the respective parties and to the best interests of the child . . . “[1]�
Other than requiring consideration of allegations of domestic violence, our basic child custody statute does not further specify what factors a court should consider to determine a child’s “best interests” in allocating her custody between divorcing or separating parents. Case law, of course, provides additional standards, but they tend to be both broad and inclusive, emphasizing that the trial court has great discretion in making awards.
