The most acrimonious and demanding legal issues that an adult may encounter are custody hearings. While battling to maintain physical possession of your child or even just visiting rights, it can be challenging to control your emotions.
Keeping your feelings in check and focusing on your child’s interests will likely lead to a better outcome. When it comes to custody hearings or marital separations, the sooner you contact an attorney, the better. To make sure your custody case is as strong as possible, it’s imperative to contact a lawyer as soon as possible.
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Tips for custodial hearings
- Think about everything from your child’s perspective. Any custody hearing should be centred around your child’s best interests. The best interests of your joint child or children are unaffected by whatever hostility you may have with your co-parent. When responding to inquiries concerning visitation or custody, put more emphasis on the effects it would have on your child rather than how it would affect you.
- Refrain from criticising your co-parent in public. One of the factors that judges consider in determining whether to award custody to a parent that has sole physical custody is if the recipient will keep contact with the other parent, maintain a positive relationship of co-parenting with this parent, let their child see them, and comply with the court’s visitation schedules.
While it is essential to address any legitimate worries, such as substance misuse, abusive or violent behavior, or illegal activity, it is best to avoid making small-minded grievances and rants about previous behavior.
- Observe your tone. You must demonstrate that you have the emotional stability necessary to be a parent, even though these hearings may be complex for you. Speaking cynically or with a tone that suggests you are angry or are not taking the situation at face value might reflect poorly on you as a parent and as a potential custody contender.
- Not “to be honest,” please. If a specific remark is demonstrated, to be honest, then your previous assertions, too, need to be verified as genuine.
- Make no justifications. Never offer explanations while being questioned about past behavior. Just think about how you’ve grown and how you’re now more prepared to manage circumstances like these. You appear immature by making excuses, and excuses indicate that you are capable of repeating your mistakes.
