An Act relative to child custody orders

This bill prohibits Massachusetts courts from granting sole, shared legal, or shared physical custody to a parent who has been the subject of an active domestic violence or stalking restraining order filed by the other parent. The law requires the consent of the parent who filed the abuse complaint before any such custody arrangement can be made, and it prevents custody orders from being issued while a related abuse complaint is still pending. Additionally, the bill mandates that if a restraining order is issued against a parent after a custody decision has already been made, the court must review and potentially change the custody arrangement to comply with these new protections. These changes aim to ensure that parents facing allegations of abuse are not automatically placed in shared custody situations without their agreement or a full hearing.