How to Win a Child Custody Case in California
Child custody is often one of the most stressful and emotional issues that is decided in a divorce, and sometimes parents cannot agree on what custody arrangement is best for their child. If the issue of child custody goes to litigation, it is critical that you have an experienced California family law attorney zealously advocating for your interests. At The Law Offices of Omar Gastelum and Associates, our team knows how to win a child custody case in California. Contact our team of highly qualified legal professionals to get top-tier legal advice for your custody case.
Assess Your Parenting Style
The first thing you must do in any child custody case is assess your own parenting style. Are there any issues that your spouse may be able to use against you? Do you hire young babysitters to watch the child when you are out or fail to enforce a curfew? Engaging in self-reflection can eliminate many issues before they can be brought up against you in court.
Make Any Necessary Lifestyle Changes
In addition to an assessment of parenting style, you should also change any lifestyle habits that the court may question in determining what is in the best interests of the child. Examples include eliminating any drugs from the home and cutting contact with friends or acquaintances who have criminal backgrounds. Make sure that the home where the child stays is safe and clean in addition to having all of the necessities like bedding, clothing, and food that your child requires.
Gather and Keep Records
You should gather and keep records of your time with your child as well as of any incidents that may need to be brought to the court’s attention. Document drop off and pick up times, whether the other parent is late, what extracurricular events you attend, who goes to parent/teacher conferences, who takes the child to the doctor or dentist, and keep records on the amount of time spent with your child each week. If the other parent is engaging in angry, humiliating, or otherwise negative rhetoric with you, it is important to maintain records of that, as well. This is particularly true if this communication is happening via text, email, social media, or other written form.
Behave on Social Media
Finally, in order to win a child custody case you need to behave well on social media. You may want to excoriate your former spouse on Facebook or Twitter, but social media posts can be easily collected and used as evidence that one parent is not willing to cooperate or communicate productively with the other. If you need to let your emotions out about your child’s other parent, do so privately with family, friends, or a licensed therapist.
Wondering How to Win a Child Custody Case in California?
If you would like to speak with an experienced California child custody attorney about your case, call the office or contact us today at The Law Offices of Omar Gastelum and Associates to schedule a consultation.