Divorce can be an emotional rollercoaster for everyone involved, especially regarding child custody arrangements. Understanding the legal aspects of child custody proceedings is important to avoid making costly mistakes.
From the team at the Law Office of Blake W. Rush in New Jersey, here are some common child custody mistakes parents make and how to avoid them.
1. Ignoring Visitation Rules
Parents must closely follow visitation rules set out in their custody agreement. Violating visitation rules can give the other parent grounds to argue for decreased visitation rights or additional restrictions. For instance, if you pick up your child late several times without the other parent’s consent, you risk being seen as an unreliable parent, which could hurt your chances of winning custody.
2. Making False or Exaggerated Allegations
Some parents deliberately make false or exaggerated allegations of drug or alcohol abuse, neglect, or physical and emotional abuse in child custody cases. This can be viewed as a desperate attempt to win custody and will harm your credibility as a parent. If you have real concerns, report them to the authorities and the courts, and allow an impartial investigation into the allegations.
3. Missing Deadlines
Child custody case timelines can move quickly, and it’s crucial that you keep track of any court-imposed deadlines. Failing to appear for hearings or filing documents at the correct time can result in negative consequences. Always try to have your documents filed ahead of time and show up to all meetings promptly.
4. Letting Emotions Take Over
Child custody arrangements are naturally emotional stressors – this can lead to harmful behavior, such as refusing to cooperate with the other parent, making threats, or even yelling during hearings. These things do not express good parenting skills or the willingness to cooperate with the other parent. Be conscious to control your emotions and stay focused on what you really want as a parent: to maintain a close relationship with your children.
Contact our office today for a consultation with our expert child custody lawyer!
If you are seeking to obtain custody or visitation rights or need to enforce or modify your existing custody rights, we can help. At the Law Office of Blake W. Rush, representing clients in custody matters throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania is our legal team’s specialty.
Give us a call at (903) 713-9800 or visit our website to contact us and learn more about how we can help you.