Have you been out of your kid's life, but now looking to seek custody? You will discover that getting custody is not easy to do, but isn't impossible either. These tips will help you win custody if you have not been in the picture for a while.
Your Child's Living Conditions Are Dangerous
When there is a custody dispute between parents regarding a child, the court system is more likely to make a decision that is more cautious if there is belief that the kid could be living in dangerous conditions. If you can somehow prove to the court that they are in danger, it will be easy to convince a judge to change existing rules regarding custody.
For example, is the other parent no longer providing the same level of care that they previously did? Has the other parent started using drugs and created an environment that is not safe? Are they using child support money inappropriately by not spending it on your kid? These are all things that can help prove your case, even if you have not been in your kid's life recently.
You've Been Paying Child Support
The courts may still look at you unfavorably as a parent if you have not been providing for your kid at all when it comes to child support. Even if you have not had court ordered child support due to a separation, that doesn't mean you can skip out on your responsibilities. Be prepared to show how you have been providing money for your kid, which could be in the form of copies of cashed checks, or any type of correspondence between you and the child's parent regarding payments that have been made. If you have court ordered child support that you are behind on, make an effort to make these payments so that you are all caught up.
Your Child Wishes To Live With You
You can help build a strong case if your kid has wishes to live with you as well. The court will consider a kid's wishes more as they get older, with hearing it from a teenager being more meaningful than a toddler. While their wishes is not a guarantee that you'll receive custody, it can play a big part in your case if their desires line up with your own.
For more help about regaining custody, be sure to work with a child custody lawyer, such as Gordon Liebmann Attorneys at Law.
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