Before You Pursue Sole Custody
Before you pursue sole custody of your
children there are many things to consider:
- Be absolutely certain that you want to be
the sole custodial parent.
- Be absolutely certain your children want to
live with you.
- Be absolutely certain you are at the very
least a nurturing parent.
- Do not represent yourself unless you have
no economic alternative choice.
- Retain a skilled honest lawyer.
Interview two or three experienced lawyers. Men must consider
carefully when retaining women lawyers.
- When committing to the custody case be
certain that you commit to underwriting the capital
for the case; the ensuing emotional aggravation; and can relate to a
judicial system that is often insensitive, and procrastinating.
- With your attorney, develop a game plan
that will be the theory of your custody case.
- Decide if your state permits you to select
which court to initiate your custody case. The venue you select is
important.
- Be certain that you are emotionally
prepared for damaging testimony about your intimate personal life and that
of your extended family; especially if false.
- Be able to reveal the most lurid intimacies
of the mother of your children, especially drugs, alcohol, sexual, neglect,
smoking, child abuse; and false accusations or arrests of your conduct to
the authorities; kidnapping and improper interference with your potential
rights.
- Keep a custody diary' documents, records
and witness address lists to support your game plan for custody.
- Where your child's mother initiates false
accusations that results in police and/or civil/criminal penalties against
you; be certain that you institute where possible a civil suit apart from
the custody proceeding for any domestic tort; defamation; abuse of process,
or filing a false claim that results in damage.
- Develop a parenting plan that spells out
who will care for your children while you are away from home.
- Produce the extended family and friends
that will assist your parenting.
- Request court appointed forensic expert,
and obtain court permission to hire your own experts for psychiatric and
psychological evaluations.
- Request home inspections.
- Do not compromise/settle your custody
proceeding before knowing the full nature of the legal terms that are used
in the documents.
- Do not call your child as a witness. Rather
request the court to interview the "child in camera" and on the
record.
- Before taping conversations, discuss
eavesdropping laws with your lawyer.
- Where helpful, ask for a Law Guardian to
represent your child.
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