How to Set Yourself Up for Success in Your Custody Hearing

If you and your former spouse or partner cannot agree on a parenting plan for your children, you will need to go to a custody hearing. There, you can argue for a plan you think is most beneficial for you and the children in question. Below are some tips to help improve your chances of success at these hearings:

• Have a well-organized parenting plan prepared: Create a parenting plan of your own that is as thorough as possible, and be prepared to discuss why it’s in your child’s best interests. You and your attorney should go over exactly what you should say in court, after you work together to draft this plan.
• Gather all the documentation you need: Collect documents that will be useful to you as you prepare to present in front of the judge. These documents should include a visual calendar that notes each parent’s time with the child, a timeshare percentage report that breaks down how much time each parent spends with the child, a plan that has the schedule written out in more formal legal terms and a plan with all other provisions and guidelines of your proposed custody plan written out. Make sure to have multiple copies to provide to everyone in the court.
• Create a strategy with your attorney: You and your attorney should spend plenty of time preparing for your hearing so that it goes as smoothly as possible. Make sure any plans you’ve put in place are actually feasible. You cannot expect to completely write the other parent out of the child’s life altogether.

To learn more about preparing for child custody hearings, meet with a dedicated Long Island divorce lawyer at Bryan L. Salamone & Associates.