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Levi Johnston Wants Custody of Son After Bristol Palin TV Show

By Andrew Lu on August 06, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Levi Johnston reportedly took steps to get child custody of his son Tripp away from his ex-girlfriend Bristol Palin.

Levi Johnston and Bristol Palin have had an acrimonious split that included the young man charging the Palins (including Sarah Palin) with trying to keep him away from his son.

But after seeing his son's bad behavior on Bristol Palin's reality television show, "Bristol Palin: Life's a Tripp," Johnston may now seek to turn the tables and grab custody of his son, gossip website TMZ reports.

Johnston reportedly dropped by a courthouse in Wasilla, Alaska, and picked up all the paperwork to obtain full custody of Tripp, reports TMZ. The young father, 22, said that he was "disgusted" by what he saw of his son's behavior on the television show and expressed concern that Tripp is on a "downward spiral."

Just two weeks ago, the three-year-old Tripp made headlines for allegedly using a gay slur on the television show, The Huffington Post reports.

Levi Johnston's potential custody case may prove to be an uphill battle. Generally, courts will be reluctant to remove a child from his custodial parent except in extreme cases. This may be especially true when the custodial parent is the child's mother.

In making the decision, a court will consider the best interests of the child. This can include looking at the custodial parent's mental and physical health, evaluating if the child has a stable home environment, and looking for signs of mental or physical abuse. In addition, a court will likely give strong consideration to a parent's drug or alcohol abuse.

Unless there is more evidence, proof that a child curses or acts like a spoiled brat will probably not be enough for a court to grant Levi Johnston's potential custody request regarding his son Tripp.

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