What does disposition mean in a court case? In the legal arena, disposition occurs when a court makes a final order or judgment in a matter. The disposition may accomplish the goals sought by one of the parties, or it could frustrate them. In other areas of law, for example, bankruptcy, the concept of disposition is very widely applied and serves to protect the assets of an individual or organization from future collection efforts.
In Pakistan, child custody cases rely heavily on the concept of disposition. When parents cannot agree on a parenting plan or some other aspect of their relationship with the child, they can ask the family court judge to assist by making a determination.
The family court judge will conduct an in-camera interview with both or either of the parents before making an order of disposition. Because Pakistani family courts place such high value on the development of cooperative co-parenting relationships, judges are critical of parents who refuse to communicate with each other. Therefore, disposition of the custody and parenting plan is not a single event, but a process that includes multiple hearings, information sharing, and negotiation between parents.
The outcome of this process can take many different forms. For example:
A ruling of disposition by the family court judge may not have any immediate impact on the family. However, over the course of years, the original order of disposition can leave a disparate impact on the parents and the children. A solid understanding of the process is essential for parents who would like the outcome to be acceptable to everyone.
If you are in the midst of a custody dispute in a family court, consider the help of a team of attorneys who are personally invested in helping you achieve a shared parenting outcome.