When I started to work with the city, I realized that I was going to be working alongside our attorneys every single day. While I was a little nervous around them at first, we quickly became friends and all of that anxiety melted away. It was really neat to see how many different subjects they could handle, and I realized just how necessary they were for helping me to manage various daily occurrences. On this website, I thought it would be really great to start talking about how to work with lawyers, and what it might mean for you and your family if you seek legal advice early.
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Child Custody: Making the Case for Changes in Your Agreement
Cassandra Stone
Ending your marriage might have been the most difficult choice you've had to make in some time. Setting up a living arrangement for your children during that process may have seemed straightforward. However, now that you've had time to process your feelings, you might want to petition the court for changes in child custody. You may also want custody modifications if the other parent isn't behaving properly. Your desire for changes could be met with resistance from your children's other parent and land you in front of a judge once again; how can you successfully make a case for custody changes?
Check with the State
Your state is likely to have their own standards for what constitutes a reasonable request for custody changes. You can't just receive sole custody because you want it. The court will consider the welfare and your children and other issues such as:
- Child abuse claims
- Relocation of the children and the custodial parent
- Age of children
- Changes in parent work schedules
If you're unsure if custody changes are possible, retain a lawyer immediately and consult them about your reasons for making changes at this time.
Keep Good Records
The communications you have with the other parent are important to keep if you're mulling custody modifications. Phone calls, threatening voicemails, and nasty text messages could help support your request for changes. Ensure that you save them and send them to your lawyer's offices so they can be produced later.
If you suspect neglect or abuse, ensure that you take your child to their doctor to document what they see.
Get Statements from Others
Sometimes your best allies are the people who see your children regularly. If you know that their teachers, coaches, and others can see changes as a result of the existing custody agreement, consider asking them to produce statements for you. They can submit a document in their own words about actions of the other parents, their observations of your children and other details which could convince a judge to agree to your custody modification request.
Tell the Truth
No matter how strongly you think that the children belong with you, be very cautious about the claims you make against their other parent. Don't exaggerate or tell "white" lies about their behavior. Such activities could end up making you look worse to the judge and ruin your chances of adjusting the custody agreement.
Your request for child custody modification can go more smoothly with these directions. Discussions and regular contact with a child custody lawyer can keep you confident and sane throughout this process.
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