In the legal world, custody battles are one of the most emotionally challenging as well as financially expensive cases out there. Here are a few things you’ll need to know before getting into a child custody case:
Find the Right Lawyer
The Huff Post emphasizes the importance of finding a custody lawyer who gets it – an attorney who understands why you want to have more access time with your child. This is true especially for fathers since the court typically favors the mother.
Know Your Goals
Do you want more access to your child or do you want equal time? Make sure your lawyer knows from the very beginning what your intentions and goals are for asking for more time. This will help your lawyer formulate a strategy. In addition, it’s a bad idea to say you’re all right with a temporary schedule only to have to change your mind and ask for more time later.
Keep Your Issues Separate
Don’t bring any talk of child support payments into the conversation. Some courts might believe you want to pay for less child support simply because you’re asking for more time. The last thing you want is to drive home the perception that you simply don’t want to pay.
Keep Your Child’s Interests at Heart
It would be better to show the court how having more time with your child is to his/her best interests. Make sure your proposed schedule is realistic, workable and shows that you have a full understanding of your child’s routines and needs. This will improve your chances of getting more time approved.
Draw It Out
This might seem like nothing but it can help you and your custody lawyer have a better idea of what your arrangement entails and what the better schedule is. Know more about what you’ll be facing when you go into a custody battle by speaking to an attorney today.
