Five Tips For Handling Your Child Custody Proceedings

If you are in the middle of a contentious divorce where child custody is an issue, you are likely very concerned about whether you will be able to obtain custody. While this should be a theoretical impartial matter, the fact is that people can do a lot of things to make their custody proceedings more likely to come out in their favor. Here are five important tips for handling your child custody proceedings to give you the best chance possible at a favorable outcome:

1. Stay in communication with your ex-spouse
   • When you are in the middle of a divorce, it can be emotionally difficult to speak with your ex-spouse. However, maintaining constant communication is essential for both handling divorce-related matters, as well as staying up to date on the welfare of your children. If you fail to stay in contact with your spouse, it could be seen as being disinterested in the welfare of your children, which can hurt your child custody case.
2. Be flexible about scheduling
   • While things like custody hearings and visitations can be scheduled months in advance, there is always the chance that something will come up at the last minute for your ex-spouse. Being bitter about these last-minute scheduling issues will not help you, however, nor will refusing to be flexible about rescheduling. The more accommodating you are to your spouse’s needs, the more likely the court is to be flexible about your own demands.
3. Try to avoid insulting your spouse, especially around your children
   • Even at the best of times, divorces can be difficult to go through, but it can be especially painful if you have a bad relationship with your ex-spouse. Thus, it can be tempting to say awful things about them, especially in front of your children. While this may be emotionally cathartic, this kind of angry behavior can reflect poorly on you, damaging your chances at getting child custody.
4. Watch what you post on social media
   • One common truism you may hear repeated is “the internet is forever,” and unfortunately it’s a saying with some merit. Anything you post online, particularly on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, can often readily be found by your spouse, their lawyer, or anyone else who happens to look. This means that you need to be extremely cautious about what you post online, unless you want your texts and pictures to show up as evidence in court that you should not be granted child custody.
5. Be honest with your spouse and the court
   • It can be tempting for some people to lie about themselves or their spouse to the court, making themselves seem great while demeaning and disparaging their spouse. However, this almost always backfires, as judges tend to look poorly on people who lie to the court. Staying honest will help demonstrate your integrity to the court, giving you a better chance at obtaining a favorable outcome in your child custody proceedings.

If you have questions regarding child custody or other aspects of family law, you should seek advice from an attorney experienced in handling these matters. A New York matrimonial lawyer, who is experienced in handling family law cases of all sorts, can advise you of your legal rights and will fight for your best interests in court. If you are facing a dispute related to the equitable distribution of property, child custody, child support, or any other family law issue, contact the Suffolk County family court lawyers at McGuire, Peláez and Bennett at (631) 348-1702 or visit our contact page.