Are you and your ex locked in a bitter child custody battle? When you’re fighting for your right to parent your child, few things will be as vital to win.
The following tips may be useful for presenting yourself in the best light possible to the Erie family courts.
- Demonstrate your willingness to co-parent. Family court judges are not enamored of parents who show their obstinacy on matters relating to their children.
- Exercise your parental rights. Even if right now all you have is visitation rights, take full advantage of those. Spend all the time you can with the kids, and when you are apart, check in with calls and texts.
- Arrive on time and prepared. Don’t be late for scheduled visitation or when you return the kids to their other parent. Make sure that your children have all they will need when spending time with you.
- Remain engaged and involved. Attend parent-teacher conferences and as many games and practices as you can. Learn your children’s teachers’ names.
- Dress for success. Dress for court the way you would for an interview for your dream job.
- Always speak respectfully. This applies while answering in court, but also in your interactions with your child’s other parent.
- Document everything. If you plan on alleging your child’s other parent is somehow unfit, have evidence to substantiate these claims, e.g., police reports, background checks, rap sheets, etc.
- Quit your bad habits. If you’ve been known to overindulge in drinking or like to get high, now is a great time to kick the habit.
Remember that you will only have a brief time to demonstrate your fitness as a parent, so make sure that it counts. Your family law attorney can ask you mock questions ahead of court to prepare you for cross-examination by your ex’s attorney.
If you would like to learn more or would like to retain a family law attorney for your upcoming custody hearing, contact the Quinn Law Firm at 814-806-2518. We can help.
Source: The Spruce, “Dos and Don’ts for Winning Child Custody,” Jennifer Wolf, April 05, 2018
