Getting ready for a child custody case can be scary and takes a lot of work, research, and planning. The good news is that anyone can get ready for the case if they know what to do. If you prepare well, you can get the result you want. Working with a child custody attorney in Orlando can help you prepare for a child custody case by providing knowledge about the case, local courts, and the judge's perspective. These are a few ways you can prepare for your child custody case.
If your kids do sports, theatre, or music, you should go to their practices, help them practice, and go to their performances or games. Talk to them about what they like and why they like it. Build good relationships with your child's teachers, coaches, and any other adults who help them. Make sure you know as much as possible about your child's friends and parents.
Child custody decisions are based on what's thought to be in the child's best interest. This allows a judge a lot of room for interpretation, so be ready to explain why you can care for them properly. This could even mean you need to be ready to talk about any serious parenting problems with the other parent, such as neglect, drug use, or other problems that could affect the child's health.
In many cases, judges think it's in the child's best interest to have a relationship with both parents if that's possible. Even though it's not always in the child's best interest, you should be ready for reasonable compromises that allow both parents to be involved.
The older the child is, the more likely the court will consider what they want. Putting a child in this situation can be very hard for them, though.
It would help if you always tried to support what the child wants and needs as much as possible and not push them to take sides. The court might even appoint someone to the child directly to determine if the child's requested location is in their best interest. As a general rule, you should be professional when talking to these people and others connected to your case.
Parents who want to get custody of their kids must act right in court, or they could lose custody. Discuss courtroom decorum with your lawyer to learn what's expected of you and any dangers to avoid, such as emotional outbursts or allegations. If you can, have your lawyer role-play with you ahead of time.
Child custody cases can get heated and violent. People may be unable to think straight because of how angry and upset they are. Most of the time, it's best to hire a child custody lawyer with a lot of experience. A good lawyer can help you stay calm when you're not thinking straight, walk you through the process, and advise you on moving forward.