Many in the Delaware, Ohio, area are familiar with the case of the "Facebook Bigamist" who made headlines two years ago. What has been less reported on is that he and his wife are still in the midst of a child custody battle that erupted after the scandal.

The case involves an Ohio woman who discovered photos on Facebook two years ago that depicted her husband marrying another woman at Disneyworld. The Ohio woman had been living apart from her husband for one year before she found the photos, and in fact, it is not quite clear that she was even legally married to the man.

The two were wed by a priest in Italy in 2005, but the husband has said that the marriage was not legal. Then, in 2008, he married the second woman at Disneyworld.

Now, the man and his first "wife" have been battling in an Ohio courtroom to find out whether they are legally married, and if so, to pursue a divorce. Meanwhile, a child custody battle is being played out in Florida--where the man is residing with his new wife and his two sons born by the first wife.

The two reportedly signed a visitation agreement last year to allow the woman to see her children, but she alleges that their father has made it difficult if not impossible to see her sons.

While this case is very odd, it seems to share a few commonalities with many child custody battles. Far too often, parents lose sight of what is most important--and that is simply what is in the best interests of the child.

In Ohio, the preferred method of custody in most courts is shared parenting. This does not mean 50/50 custody splits, but rather that parents should communicate with each other and with the child. Of course, every case is different and has its own issues that need to be dealt with appropriately.

It is important to simply remember that the interests of the child are most important, and that children should not be used as pawns in family law matters. When a legal visitation schedule has been agreed on and validated by a judge, it should be followed, provided there are no major risks involved or discrepancies that require further attention from a family law attorney or judge.

Source: Tampa Bay Times, "'Facebook Bigamist' case drags on with fight over kids, legitimacy of marriage,'" John Barry, Jan. 11, 2012