How do you win a custody battle?

 Posted on December 16, 2019 in Child Custody

For divorcing parents, their No. 1 concern about “what happens next” is usually focused around the children. Many parents want to know how to win their custody case and are looking for reassurance that they can succeed.

Let’s talk about what you can do to improve your chances of doing just that. Here are some of the things you need to do:

1. Define what “winning” means for your situation

The ultimate goal should be making certain that your children are safe and have everything they need to thrive and be happy. In most cases, that means having a good relationship with both their parents. You may need to revise your approach to the custody situation and realize that “winning” doesn’t necessarily mean “exclusive custody.”

2. Be cooperative about parenting

One of the factors the court will consider when deciding custody is how much each parent is willing to facilitate the relationship the other parent has with the kids. If you’re unwilling to compromise and rigidly control your spouse’s access to the kids, you could sour the judge’s feelings about your maturity and parenting skills.

3. Know what’s going on with the kids

A parent that is actively involved in their child’s life is much more likely to gain shared custody than one that isn’t. Show the court that you are fully invested in parenting and that your children are your top priority by being there for school events, doctors’ visits and other important activities.

4. Make sure you have space

If you’ve moved out of the family home, it might be tempting to crash at your brother’s house on the couch for a while until you have a better financial footing — but that’s not going to sound very good when the judge asks about the living accommodations you can provide your children. If you don’t make your choices with the kids in mind, the court’s decision may reflect that.

Child custody battles are always fraught with tension and worry. Learn more about what you can do to protect your children — and your interests — today.