3 Ways To Plan For Your Child Custody Hearing

If you are going to go before a judge for a child custody hearing, you want to make sure that you are prepared. During the hearing, you are going to need to show that you are involved in your child's life and that as a parent, you have the ability to provide for your child both financially and emotionally. You need to basically prove that you have the ability to take care of your child and that you care about your child. 

In order to prove that you care about your child, you are going to need evidence to back up your word. It is best to gather evidence that you are a fit parent before the child custody hearing begins.

Employment

The first way that you can show that you are a fit parent is through work. If you hold down a steady job, you are going to want to get a letter from work from your human resource department. Ideally, this letter will state when you were hired, how many hours a week you work, what type of schedule you work, and the type of salary and benefits that you receive.

Holding a steady job, especially for an extended period of time, is one way to show that you are a fit parent who is engaging in the necessary steps to care for and provide for your child. 

Criminal Check

Second, having a criminal background can be seen as a negative when fighting for custody of your child. If you don't have a criminal background, that is seen as a positive. Don't just rely on your own word though. Have your attorney run an official criminal background check on you, using your fingerprints, to prove to the court that you don't have a criminal record.

If you do have a criminal record, you need to work with your attorney to gather evidence to demonstrate and show how you have put your criminal past behind you. This can be tough, but can be done if you really demonstrate all the steps you are taking to lead a life on the right path.

Community Engagement

Finally, you want to show that you are engaged in your child's community. You can show you are engaged in your child's community by sharing your child care schedule that you had with your ex before you were divorced. You can share all of the activities and ways that you help you child, for example, if you help with the classroom halloween party or carpool for soccer practice. Try to get written statements whenever possible from other adults who have seen you actively engaged in your child's life. As aways, it is best to back up your word with the words of others. 

If you have a child custody hearing coming up, be sure to work with your lawyer to collect evidence that will demonstrate that you are fit to take care of your child's physical, emotional, and economic needs. Having solid evidence to back up your statements will strengthen your child custody case. To learn more, contact a law firm such as Ritter & LeClere APC Attorneys At Law.