When you are involved in a custody battle with a former partner, you must prove that you are a devoted and loving parent.
Positively conducting yourself during a custody battle is paramount.
Always be as prepared as possible for your family court appearance.
Professionals like family advocates and attorneys will ensure you are on the right track to proving yourself as the best guardian for your child.
Knowing how the courts determine custody of the children will help you prepare for your court date.
We have some expert advice for parents fighting custody battles.
Courtroom, Judge, male judge in black mirror background
Table of Contents
Consider Your Living Arrangements
Your living arrangements should show that you can provide a safe and stable environment for your children.
Consider staying close to your ex-partner to keep the children as close to their routine as possible.
Judges might be flexible about accommodation, but you should aim for housing that has enough space for you and your children.
When it comes to showing your dedication to your kids, a one-bedroom apartment won’t do the trick.
The standard your youngsters are accustomed to will set the baseline for what the judge expects from you as the sole caregiver.
A child’s age also impacts what kind of living arrangements they require; older children need more privacy than younger children.
Co-Parenting Cooperation
Judges want to know that no single parent will interfere in the children’s relationship with the other parent.
Parents who resort to bad-mouthing the other parent will not be looked at kindly by any judge.
The more cooperative you are with the other parent, the more of an edge you will have in the custody battle.
Courts don’t look kindly on parental alienation.
Your willingness to support each other’s relationship with the children proves you have your child’s best interests at heart.
Your Relationship With The Children Before Divorce
Judges will evaluate whether you have been a dedicated parent throughout your marriage or if winning custody is to one-up the other side.
If you happen to have a sudden change of heart regarding your children, judges will take the time to guarantee that it is sincere.
Children’s Needs
As children age, their needs develop and mature. A young child, specifically a nursing baby, will need to be with their mother.
Judges tend to favor mothers during the tender years of a minor’s life.
Although fathers should fight for their children, they can still win custody.
More than half of guardianship cases are settled out of court, with parents agreeing that the mother should be the primary caregiver in 51% of custody cases.
Joint custody is often awarded to both parents by many courts.
Courts should not discriminate based on gender, and judges will decide guardianship based on the needs of the children and which parent will better meet them.
Children’s courts are always considering the child’s best interest.
Ultimately, judges will always consider your love, affection, and emotional ties to your children when deciding on guardianship.
