What You Need to Know About Child Custody Battles

The dissolution of a marriage is never easy—and as you go through divorce proceedings, you will likely have to deal with a wide range of financial, legal, and familial issues. One of the toughest challenges of all is handling the matter of child custody. For divorcing couples who have minor children, a child custody battle can be emotionally and physically draining.

Of course, you’ll want to do what’s best for your child. You’ll want to have your legal rights upheld, and you’ll want to avoid too much of a financial drain. These are all good reasons why you should always partner with a child custody lawyer, who can provide invaluable assistance as you navigate these choppy waters.

Something else we advise is doing your due diligence, ensuring that you have some rough idea of what to expect from your child custody battle—minimizing any unwelcome surprises along the way. Your custody lawyer can fill you in on specifics. In addition, we have a few general custody battle tips to offer here.

Sometimes, You Can Settle Out of Court

Going all the way to trial can prolong your child custody battle considerably. It can leave you feeling completely drained. At the end of the day, it all comes down to the judge.

For these and many other reasons, it’s often best to at least attempt settling your custody battle through mediation—reaching a legally-binding agreement without going to court. Having a custody lawyer is still invaluable to ensure this process is smooth.

Your Whole Family is Affected

The goal of a child custody battle is really that you want to do right by your kid. As such, it’s helpful to remember that your child’s eyes will be on you throughout the proceedings—and that if you allow things to take an ugly turn, your child will be affected in some deep and painful ways.

We recommend dialing down the drama whenever you can. Don’t involve your child in the process any more than is absolutely necessary. And avoid all-out war with your ex; do everything you can to keep things amicable, for everyone’s sake.

Objectivity is Tough—But Valuable

During your custody battle, you may find it hard to maintain objective distance.

You may be fighting for sole custody, or for some of your other terms to be met—yet this may or may not be what’s best for your child. Really considering your child’s needs from an objective point of view can be difficult for any parent.

Your Behavior Will Be Under the Microscope

The way you conduct yourself during the custody proceedings is important for a lot of reasons—not the least of which is that the judge, the opposing attorney, and your ex will all have you under a microscope the entire time. And if you make a tactical error, they are likely to turn it into an issue.

In other words: Avoid making false accusations against your ex. Avoid sending angry texts. Remember to keep yourself above reproach as best you can.

You Can Find the Help You Need at ImmiCore Law

Divorce is a tough time for all sides of the family. Maintaining a relationship with your kids is important, and at the end of the day should matter the most.

Whatever the case is ImmiCore Law has experienced family lawyers in the San Francisco area. Speak with a family law attorney today; reach out to the ImmiCore Law family law team at your next convenience.