Shared Custody and Childcare – Everything You Need to Know
2021-10-11
Let’s be honest; divorce isn’t something people enjoy (especially if there are children involved)! Handling all the stress and emotional turmoil can be overwhelming when you’re going through this wrenching experience. It can be traumatic for children. In many cases, the legal aspects of divorce are tangled with emotional and personal issues that caused the relationship to end, and disputes over child custody only make matters more complicated.
Although a custody dispute can be emotionally challenging, your actions during and outside of legal proceedings can impact your child’s well-being and ongoing relationship. Letting your negative feelings cause destructive behavior can paint yourself in a negative light in front of the judge and be a disadvantage. That’s why we’ve made a list of things you should bear in mind if you want a positive result in your child custody case.
Hire An Attorney to Protect You
A child custody case can feel like a sea of court dates, visitation schedules, and legal documents, and even the smallest detail missing in these areas can have a negative impact. Look for a lawyer experienced in family law who can advocate on your behalf in court and keep track of the different filings, dates, and requirements. A lawyer can also use his or her experience to present your case clearly and convincingly to communicate effectively with the other side so that personal emotions do not get in the way.
Social media accounts can sometimes feel like private spaces to vent frustrations and receive support from friends. The sad truth is that these accounts are entirely public, and anything you post on them could be held against you. If your messages contain things that could lead the judge to form a negative opinion about your conduct or your child’s influence, they can be very damaging to your child custody case. In general, you shouldn’t post anything on social media that you would not want to see read or displayed in open court. However, if you’ve already published something that could be used against you, don’t get rid of it! If you try to take it down, it may be considered the evidence with legal consequences involved. Instead, discuss the message with your lawyer, who may be able to prevent it from being admitted into evidence or reduce its impact by reasoning with the judge.
Be More Cooperative With the Other Party
Even if you feel a strong negative feeling about your former spouse or partner, one of the biggest mistakes is putting those feelings over your children’s best interests. Refusing to communicate intelligently could lead the judge to believe that you don’t care about your child’s welfare and that you want to hurt the other parent. Instead, try to maintain an open and constructive dialogue with the other party. If emotional factors make this difficult, consider hiring a lawyer experienced in family law to manage communication and provide valuable advice on when it is appropriate to compromise and reach a conclusion.
Do Not Deny Access to the Other Parent Without A Compelling Reason
Generally, the court will not look favorably on any attempt to prevent the other parent from seeing the child without the support of a court order. Of course, there are times when you cannot wait for a court order. Suppose the other parent or the access environment is a danger to your child-for example. If you suspect physical abuse or unsanitary living conditions, you may have grounds for denying the other parent access. However, these cases are limited to real and immediate threats, and you should always consult a lawyer before attempting to violate a court-ordered access schedule.
Do Not Fight with Your Ex in Front of Your Children!
Once again, your children’s well-being must be your number one concern, which means that you cannot afford to drag them into any kind of turmoil between you and the other parent. Even if your ex-partner or ex-spouse seems impossible to live with, you must take the high road whenever you can and behave compassionately and thoughtfully. In case the other parent refuses to cooperate and compromise, well, this can only help your custody case in court! In the meantime, if you lower yourself to their level, you miss a valuable opportunity to show the court why you are better able to look after your child’s best interests.
