MartyK I like your post. It was presented well and covered the points of concern fully.
The last part was having a go still, and probably wasn't required, but I can see the lead up that may have put you in that place. Although I still do not agree that the
psychologically abusive of a child makes it a definite no go zone for that other parent, and that's where the negotiating would be. For instance it may be controlled visits with a social worker, for a prescribed ordered duration, with the option of going back to court after say 6 months or 1 year and re-negotiating the conditions.
By the way I'm totally against child abuse even the old fashioned discipline techniques, but I still do not feel the parent should have zero access to their child for it, hence why I wrote that now famous one liner you quoted.
Maybe I'd be too soft as an opinionated judge in the matter, but then again I've seen a lot of life and I can see where understanding and experience will not automatically throw one parent completely out of the picture, especially when mot being convicted of any crime.
It is so easy to say custody is only about the best interests of the child when parents do have rights and they should feel confident in knowing that in most cases the courts will not remove either parent, or both, especially on a permanent basis ever unless they are dead or in jail
Being able to live in opposite economical (regarding resource, financial and educational and specifically cultural) communities at different times in my life, I can confirm that parents who may seem to be deemed as
psychologically abusive towards a child may be best left to a judge who understands the bigger picture. Families and communities are what make up our society, and only in
confirmed abusive (therefore criminal) cases, judges should not completely remove parents from their children.
I do not require the definition of psychological abuse of a child provided to me btw. Unless of course you throw in the rights of loving parents