What Not to Do While Seeking Custody of Your Children

It’s not uncommon for child custody disputes to grow bitter and lead to long, drawn-out court battles. Both parent understandably wants as much time with their children as possible, and they do not want to have to compromise on child support arrangements.

However, there are certain actions that parents can take during custody hearings and divorce proceedings that can make it tougher for them to get the custody arrangement they desire. Examples may include:

• Committing any type of crime. You’ll have a hard time earning favor with judges if you commit a crime, even a misdemeanor, while you are seeking to gain custody of your children. Keep your record clean.
• Badmouthing your former partner. Judges discourage parents from making disparaging remarks about the other parent in front of their children as it could damage the relationship that children have with their mother or father. If you engage in this type of behavior, it is less likely that you will get custody of your children.
• Abusive behavior. For obvious reasons, any abusive behavior you exhibit toward your spouse or your children will essentially disqualify you from child custody and will likely lead to further legal trouble for you.
• Taking your children out of state. If you take your children out of state or elsewhere with the motivation of preventing courts from revoking your custody rights, you are making matters significantly worse on yourself. This basically amounts to kidnapping, and you will face criminal charges in addition to losing any chance at maintaining custody of your children.

For more “dos” and “don’ts” during child custody negotiations, meet with the experienced divorce attorneys at Bryan L. Salamone & Associates.