How To Win Custody When You're Not In The Picture Anymore
Have you been in a family situation that has forced you away from home, but now you are looking to take back custody of your child? If so, this will require some help so that you can successfully win custody back. These tips can help you do it.
Prove The Child's Current Home Is Dangerous
When custody disputes arise between two parents, a judge will typically pick the best living situation for the child, not necessarily what the parents want. One big factor that will sway a judge to have the child go with you is if the current living conditions are dangerous for the child.
Proving dangerous living conditions can be tough, since the burden falls on you to prove it with some evidence. One way you can do this is have a friend that has been in the home testify about their living conditions. For instance, there may be a situation where the child's current custodian is involved with drug dealing out of their home, and you can explain how you do not want that around your child.
While that is an extreme situation, you can also find ways to prove that the custodian has decreased the amount of care they are providing at home. You could demonstrate this by getting a teacher to vouch for a drop in attendance at school or falling grades. Another way is to demonstrate how support money has not been properly used, potentially by showing recent large purchases that the custodian would not typically be able to afford with their current income.
Prove That You Still Pay Child Support
A child support order is not required in all situations, such as a separation where a divorce has not been finalized. That said, a judge could still view you favorably if you paid child support, even in situations where it was not legally required.
Child support payments will help demonstrate how you still decided to help out in your child's life even though you were not around. You may not have had a choice in being at home with your kid, but you still did the right thing by providing financial support.
It helps to have proof of payments that you made to support your child. This can be done by requesting copies of your cashed checks, medical bills, tuition, or any other way that you provided for them financially. Without these records, it will be your word against the current custodian's word.
For more information, contact a child custody lawyer at firms like Top Tier Law Group.
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