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Custody battles can be incredibly challenging for co-parents, especially when they disagree on what constitutes an appropriate custody arrangement for their child.
In today's blog, we're covering common mistakes parents make during custody cases that hurt their chances of receiving an optimal custody arrangement, so you know what to avoid.
To schedule a consultation with one of our experienced custody attorneys, contact us online or via phone at (949) 229-8546.
Failing to Cooperate with Your Spouse
During custody battles, courts pay close attention to how parents behave not only towards their children but also towards one another.
If you believe your co-parent represents a threat to your children or is truly unequipped to parent them, speak with your attorney about requesting orders from the court or, if necessary, contact another organization such as Child Protective Services about your concerns. Otherwise, cooperating with your co-parent during your custody case is important.
If you disagree with your co-parent on how to handle custody, it may feel grating to try and work with them on your custody case, but doing so could drastically increase your chances of obtaining a better outcome in your custody dispute.
The court's priority in any custody case is the child's best interests. As a result, most courts will be more favorable to parents who they believe can effectively co-parent with a partner - even one who may be difficult. It may contradict your first instincts but being amicable and cooperative with your co-parent could help you land a better custody arrangement.
Venting on Social Media
Today, social media accounts play a role in many child custody cases. If you have grievances about your co-parent or the court, try not to air them on social media. Your co-parent could display that information to the court as evidence that you aren't suited to care for your child. A great rule of thumb here is to consider how the judge handling your case would react to your social media posts before press “post” – the reality is that he or she very well may see them at some point.
Failing to Comply with Other Court Orders
Custody cases often occur in conjunction with other legal disputes such as child support and divorce disputes. If you fail to comply with other court orders issued during another case, such as failing to pay child support or hiding assets in a property division case, it could negatively impact your custody dispute in terms of your credibility with the court.
The court is looking for a parent they can trust to prioritize their child and work with the judge on the case, so failing to comply with other court orders is inadvisable.
Failing to Retain a Family Lawyer
An experienced family law attorney can help you effectively negotiate with your co-parent and fight for an outcome in your custody dispute that truly serves your child's best interests while preserving your parental rights.
Our custody attorneys will work with you to develop a case strategy customized to suit your unique needs.
To schedule a consultation with our team and work with us on your custody case, contact our office online or via phone at (949) 229-8546.