A more thorough explanation:

The best interests of the child is a legal principle used in custody cases when parents are fighting over who should have custody of their child. The court uses this principle to decide which parent should have custody, what kind of visitation rights the other parent should have, and how much child support should be paid.

The court considers many factors when deciding what is in the best interests of the child. These factors can include:

• Whether the parents had an agreement about custody before the case went to court
• The quality of the home environment and how well the parent taking care of the child can provide guidance
• The financial situation of each parent
• The individual needs of the child
• The mental health of the parents
• The overall circumstances of the case

For example, in a New York case called Gibson v. Greene, the court looked at factors like stability, the quality of the home environments, past performance of each parent, and each parent's fitness. In another New York case called Ross v. Ross, the court considered the child's relationship with each parent, the parents' ability to provide for the child's needs, and the child's wishes.

Overall, the best interests of the child principle is used to make sure that the child's needs and well-being are the top priority in custody cases.