Family Law

Interfaith Marriage Ends in Religious Custody Battle

By ckramer

Interfaith marriages have increased over the years causing religion to play a key role in child custody cases across the nation.

Parents find themselves fighting not only for the right to spend time with their kids, but to share with them their individual religious beliefs.

A divorced Chicago couple recently faced a bitter battle over the religious upbringing of their daughter, with a judge ruling to allow the child to both Christian and Jewish services, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Rebecca and Joseph Reyes both wanted custody of their three-year-old daughter and both hoped to raise their child with their traditions.

Joseph Reyes converted to Judaism during the couple?s marriage, but he later said he felt pressured to convert. Since the two divorced, he decided to go back to his Catholic roots.

During their divorce proceedings, the judge awarded Rebecca Reyes custody of their daughter. She then requested that the judge rule her daughter only follow the Jewish tradition.

She requested a court order prohibiting her ex from taking the young girl to Catholic masses during his visitations. The court ruled in her favor and banned her ex-husband from having their daughter go to Catholic ceremonies.

But during a visitation with his daughter, Joseph Reyes decided to take her to a Catholic mass and have her baptized. He then sent pictures of the baptism to his ex-wife.

This upset Rebecca Reyes because she said that they agreed to raise their daughter in the Jewish faith.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Joseph Reyes fought the court ruling prohibiting him from exposing his daughter to Catholicism. And the ban was lifted.

The court ruled that Joseph Reyes will now get visitation rights with his daughter on Christmas and Easter.

But they were not the only couple to battle over their religious beliefs and their children.

Elina Margolina and Nelson Derbigny have been divorced for three years. Now they are back in the courts to determine their child?s religious followings.

Margolina won a temporary court order stating that her husband must raise their son in the Jewish tradition. She requested that he keep kosher food in his home and require his son to wear traditional Jewish garments to his public school.

As interfaith marriages increase, the issue of religion in custody battles might become more commonplace.

Full post as published by The Divorce Blog on April 22, 2010 (boomark / email).