Child Custody And Divorce: Free Legal Advice
Child Custody And Divorce: Free Legal Advice
Child Custody And Divorce: Free Legal Advice
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I was going to put this little piece of advice at the end of all the factors, but I think that it has more to do with the child's physical environment (which we've just discussed in the preceding factors), so here it is.
You want custody of your child? That's nice. You plan on getting, if you prevail at this custody hearing, a fully qualified babysitter, to watch the child until you get home from work? Very nice. You lose.
You plan on moving to a larger house, so the child will have his own room? Very nice. You lose.
You saw in the earlier chapters, the example dad, who "planned on" doing just about everything, and there isn't any way that fellow can win a custody case. We had to hunt around and figure out just what factor he might actually win, didn't we? If he wins that factor, well and good, but I've got news for you: the Mom is going to win the other eleven factors, and the final score is going to be 11-1, and our example dad is a sure loser. Guaranteed.
The difference between having good "plans" and actually getting something done is what makes up the title of this chapter. You have to get it done. In advance. The judge is going to be looking at the two conflicting environments, the two sets of living conditions, and evaluating them as they ARE. AS THEY ARE RIGHT NOW, rather than some hare-brained "plan" that might or might not ever develop. The judge knows, from experience, that people have a lot of good intentions, announced in a courtroom, that never seem to actually happen.
You need to convince this judge that all the judge has to to, in order to make this child a happy, successful child, is to simply issue his order in your favor. "If you issue the order in my favor judge, Kim here is going home. It's all set up." See that it IS all set up.
Rather than announce that you plan to get a good babysitter (yes, I know the modern term is "child care provider" but it's a pain...), INTRODUCE THE PROVIDER. Put her on the witness stand. "...And, judge, you're going to be hearing from Mrs. Wilson, who lives next door, who does the babysitting. She's raised four of her own kids, and she watches Kim for two hours, after school, until my client gets home from work...."
You "plan on getting involved at the school?" Congratulations, that would be a good thing. Today, by the way, you lose. Why not get involved NOW at the school, and, by the time trial comes around, INTRODUCE THE TEACHER. Put the teacher on the witness stand. ("Yes, we have classroom moms. Well, actually, we have three classroom moms, and one classroom dad, and that would be your client. Since he got involved, it's been so much easier....") You get the idea, I'm sure. The point of all this is that plans don't cut it. You need to already have done what some people only "plan" to do.
You need a larger house? Do it now. File for custody next year. ("Yes, she has her own room.")
You need to switch to first shift, rather than second shift? Do it now. File for custody next year. ("Yes, she's home for an hour before I get home, but she stays with Mrs. Wilson, next door, and I'm home every day at four thirty in the afternoon....")
DON'T walk into that courtroom with some "plans". Walk into that courtroom with an environment that's already set up, already in place, already working. If you do that, you win. If you don't do that, but you have good plans, really nice plans, you're going to lose.
Good luck with it.