Firstly, assuming that the appeal in the criminal process is over, and the parent is serving a life sentence for murder, then he will clearly lose custody, and most likely have his guardianship rights severely restricted, too.

In August 2003 a father who was serving a life sentence for murdering the mother of his two children had his rights as their natural guardian severely reduced by Jerusalem Family Court, during a custody case involving the two sets of grandparents who were fighting for the right to raise them. During the appeal case before the District Court, in August 2004, the court refused to adopt a lenient approach regarding the father’s role with the children. The leading member of the 3-judge panel said: “ Regarding everything about the father himself, his status and his ‘rights’ regarding his children, there is no room for a lenient approach…, as if there is no difference between a father who murdered the mother and is serving a life sentence, between a father who is serving a long sentence for financial offences.”