Technically, no, but fathers face unique challenges in custody disputes.
Custody is determined by a judge, and judges are mandated to follow the law on custody, which is found at ORS 107.137.
The major factor in deciding custody is figuring out who has been the child’s primary caregiver. Historically (and particularly if the child is very young), mothers are the primary caregiver. If, for example, father is the breadwinner, although that involves caring for the child (and family) financially, when courts look to who has been the primary caregiver, the focus is on who was doing diaper duty, cooking, grooming, transportations, doctor and dental appointments, etc.
With that being said, there are many cases that we have handled wherein we have successfully gotten custody for fathers. If you have questions regarding custody, please give us a call or write us to discuss the specifics of your case.