In California, the determination of the best interests of the child in custody cases is governed by several statutes and case law principles. The primary legal standard is the "best interest of the child" standard, which allows the court wide discretion to choose a parenting plan that serves the child's best interests In re Marriage of Burgess, 13 Cal.4th 25 (1996)) Factors to Determine, “Best Interest of the Child”.  Key factors that the court must consider in determining the best i...