Going through a child custody fight is one of the first experiences a parent can go through. You may feel helpless, angry, and scared. You may not be sure if you are doing the right thing or how to know how hard to fight. The good news is that you do not have to be in this alone. Keep reading for tips on fighting child custody battles and then contact Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell at (909) 920-0908 to request a consultation with an experienced attorney.
Hire the Right Family Law Attorney
The number one thing you can do to increase your chances of getting the custody agreement you want is to work with the right family law attorney. With the right experience, resources, and knowledge, the right attorney makes all the difference in how your case is likely to turn out.
Consider Your Living Arrangements
If you want to have custody then your living arrangements should reflect that. You cannot expect to get custody while sleeping on a friend’s house, or staying in a friend’s spare bedroom with their entire family. To win custody, you need to show that you are the fittest parent and this requires that you are living somewhere where there is plenty of space for your child.
As you consider where to live, remember that the courts highly value maintaining the status quo. So if your co-parent currently has custody of your child and has them enrolled in a good school, you should move to a home within that school district’s boundaries so that your child would not be required to change schools if you got custody.
Stay Involved in Your Child’s Life
The courts want to know that you are involved in your child’s life. You should know their teachers’ names, what they are involved in at school, and what their schedules are. Know the names of your children’s friends. Know what your kid likes, what they don’t like, and what medications they are on. Know their interests. Know who their doctor is. In short, be able to show the judge that you are involved in and interested in your child’s life.
Cooperative with Your Co-Parent
It may seem that when you are fighting with your co-parent to get custody, the last thing you want to do is cooperate with them. this is false. The truth is that unless you want sole, primary custody with no visitation, you will have an ongoing relationship with your child’s other parent. The judge will not appreciate hearing that you are badmouthing that parent or that you are making it unnecessarily difficult for them to see their child.
Cooperate with the co-parent but do not let them take advantage of you. This can be a fine line to see from within the relationship, which is one of the reasons that it is important to have an attorney. Call Law Offices of Torrence L. Howell at (909) 920-0908 and we can help you take steps to increase the likelihood that you will be granted custody.
