Child custody battles are often dramatic, emotionally draining, and quite frustrating. The actions you take during this important period of time have the potential to help or hurt your cause. Your actions in and out of court will influence the course of your child custody case in several different ways. Let’s take a look at some of the most common mistakes parents make during child custody battles. These are 6 things you should not do during a custody battle.
1. Withholding Visitation
Unless there is an urgent reason, the other parent should not be prevented from visiting with the child at the scheduled time. The bottom line is family court judges do not favor parents who prevent visitation unless a court order supports such an action. Though there is also the potential for an urgent reason to justify withholding visitation, such situations are few and far between. When in doubt, consult with our legal team before violating the court’s visitation schedule.
2. Failing to Cooperate With the Other Parent
Though you might detest the other parent, it is important that you remain civil during interactions with this person. Do not let your personal feelings for this individual interfere with your child’s best interest. Continue to communicate with the other parent, and you will make it clear to the judge that you are acting in a civil manner and genuinely care about your child. Resist the temptation to make life difficult for your former significant other, maintain an ongoing dialogue, and your case for custody will be that much stronger. If communicating with the other parent is excessively difficult due to the emotional drain, lean on our experienced family law practitioners to handle communication on your behalf.
3. Displaying Poor Judgment on Facebook
Ideally, your use of Facebook and other social media platforms will be temporarily paused during your child custody battle. Even a seemingly innocent post on one of these social media platforms has the potential to sabotage your child custody case. So don’t resort to Facebook to trash your former significant other, vent your frustrations or seek support from others. The posts and pictures you add to your account are public, meaning all of the information you add to social media platforms has the potential to be used against you in family court, ultimately jeopardizing your quest to obtain child custody.
4. Attempting to Represent Yourself in a Pro Se Manner
Child custody cases are inherently complicated. Such a case requires an abundance of paperwork, the filing of legal documents, appearances in court, and creating and adhering to detailed visitation schedules. Making a seemingly minor mistake in just one of these areas might significantly reduce your chances of obtaining custody. The moral of this story is your relationship with your kid(s) is much too important to jeopardize through pro se self-representation. Do the smart thing by letting our experienced family law attorneys spearhead your quest for justice, and we will handle all the legal challenges on your behalf. This is the professional assistance you need to maximize your chances of winning child custody. Furthermore, you are a busy parent. If you were to attempt to represent yourself in a pro se manner, you would not have enough time to work, take care of your kids, perform errands, and handle other important responsibilities.
5. Speaking Negatively of the Other Parent in Front of Your Kids
Even if you hate your former spouse or significant other, it is a mistake to engage in verbal or physical battle with that individual in front of your children. Losing your temper in such an argument has the potential to sabotage your quest to obtain child custody in a timely and complete manner. Do not drag the kids into the battle between you and your former flame. Take the high road, remain civil when interacting with this individual, and do not create the impression that you are unfit to be a parent.
6. Violating Court Orders
Even a minor violation of a court order or the temporary schedule can prevent you from obtaining child custody. Such a violation might convince the judge that you do not have respect for the court. Follow the details of the court orders, make it clear you will honor the court’s decisions, and you will have done your part to boost the family court judge’s perception of you as a person and also as a parent.
If you are considering divorce, worried about child custody after divorce, or have any other family law matter, reach out to the family attorneys at Setzer Law Firm today. We will fiercely advocate on your behalf in and out of a court. You can contact our Colleyville office by dialing (817) 767-1865. If you prefer to reach us online, simply fill outour convenient contact form, and we will be in touch at our earliest convenience.