4 Tips To Help You Win A Child Custody Battle

Law Articles

Child custody battles are always stressful, and it is easy to let emotions run high and cloud your judgment. If you want the best outcome for your child, it is important to have a plan before you go to court. There are a few specific steps you can take that can help to show the judge that you should have custody of your child. Here are a few tips to help you win a child custody battle.

Demonstrate Involvement in Your Child's Education

Academic performance is one of the most important indicators of whether or not a child is in a healthy and nurturing environment. Showing that you care about your child's education is an important factor for winning your custody battle. Even if your child is not a straight-A student, there are several ways that you can demonstrate that you are involved with your child's school.

Maintaining your child's good attendance record is excellent for your case in the judge's eyes, so you should try to get your child to school on time every day. You can also show your involvement by attending parent-teacher conferences, or by joining the Parent-Teacher Association.

Do Not Berate the Other Parent

Undoubtedly if you are involved in a custody battle, you have several concerns that staying with the other parent would not be in the best interest of your child. While it is important to voice these concerns in court, you do not need to dwell on feelings of bitterness in front of your child or the guardian ad litem.

Berating the other parent in front of your child can create strong feelings of confusion and fear in them, and you do not want to put any more stress on your child than he or she is already dealing with. You should also remember that it is the guardian ad litem's duty to report on the child's living conditions with you. If the guardian feels that bitterness and negativity toward your former partner are your main concern, the judge may find you unfit for sole custody.

Choose Friends and Contacts Carefully

Not only will the judge and guardian ad litem judge your personality, but also your social connections. No matter how strong a parent's case is, they could lose favor with the judge if they spend time with people that could potentially cause problems in the child's life. Do not associate with anyone who could disrupt your child's safe environment if you want to maximize your chances of winning the custody battle.

Work With a Lawyer to Prepare the Right Documents

A child custody battle is likely to be one of the most important legal battles that you ever go through, and you should almost never do it alone. Working with a reputable family lawyer is the best way to make sure that you have a strong case, and that you are bringing all of the appropriate documents to court to support your case.

There are many documents that family lawyers advise parents to bring to court that they may not have thought of on their own. To show that you are keeping up healthy and consistent communication with your child, it is a good idea to bring phone logs of all calls between the two of you. If you are the non-custodial parent, you should also bring records of your visitation schedule that demonstrate how frequent your visits are and how long they last.

While it is impossible to remain completely calm and collected in a situation as stressful as a child custody battle, you can feel confident that the court will make its decision in the best interest of the child. Work with a family lawyer to make sure that your chances of winning full custody are as high as possible.

2 December 2014