Child Custody Checklist | Advice Through the Difficulties

Child Custody Checklist

Following is a child custody checklist to assist you through the difficulties associated with child custody. If you follow the checklist below, dig out all of the necessary answers and write them down, and communicate that information to your lawyer, witnesses, etc., you will significantly help your case:

• Hire the right lawyer, with the right experience, knowledge and training. We have found that hiring the correct lawyer is the most important action that you can take. Without the right lawyer nothing seems to work out as well—no matter how much work you put into your case.
• Get recommendations for the right lawyer. (From your family lawyer, friends, bar association, etc.)
  

Strengths and Weaknesses:

• Make a list of the other person’s weaknesses. The other person is usually your spouse or former spouse, but may be grandparents, foster parents, siblings, or even the State.
• Make a list of your strengths
• Make a list of your weaknesses. Be honest. Only you and your lawyer will see the list,
• List the strengths in your present position from the view of the judge: job, economics, help from parents, etc.
• List the strengths of the other person in his or her present position.

Shared Custody Schedules – Simple & effective communication tools, ordered by courts in all 50 states!

Child Custody Checklist Decisions to be made:

• Decide if you should be the first to initiate the suit.
• Decide if you should try to settle-the case.
• Decide if you should start negotiating with the other person.
• Decide if you should work out a temporary custody plan with the other person.
• Decide if the other person may make false allegations in court. What would they be?
• Decide how to refute any false allegations.
• Decide how you should act in court.
• Decide if this is the right time to start dating.
• Decide if this is the right time to move in with your new significant other.
• Decide if the other person is trying to “get your goat”

Draft Child Custody Checklist Plan:

• Write out a Draft Custody Plan.
• List everything that you want as if you will be able to get everything that you want—you won’t get everything but making this list is a good start.
• Make a list of the negotiable points in your Draft Custody Plan:
• Make a list of your bargaining chips.
• Write down the education plans for your child and yourself.
• Learn whether you need a Custody Evaluation to help your case.
• Decide if your child is being bribed.
• If yes, decide on a course of action to counteract these bribes.
• Calculate how much insurance is in-force that would go to you and your child.
• Calculate how much insurance you and your child actually need.
  Medical coverage?

Court Proceedings:

• Discover what criteria your family court looks at when awarding custody.
• Find out if your judge has specific prejudices. (Blond hair, women or men, successful women, athletic looking men, etc.)
• Find out if the other person is using alienating strategies.
• If the other person is using alienating strategies, put into effect a plan to counteract these strategies.
• Make a list of witnesses that you have to refute potential allegations.
• Write down, for each witness, how they should dress and act in court.
• Choose the clothes you will wear in court.
• Make a list by subject of the important things you have not told your lawyer. You don’t want any surprises in court. List arrests, bankruptcy, affairs, fights–everything!
• Make a list of any of the ways that you can help control legal costs.

Marital Assets:

• Make a list of the marital assets.
• Include in the list when each asset came into the marriage.
• Include how each asset came into the marriage.
• Make a list of your future potential earnings.
• Think about what could happen to increase or decrease your future.
• Write down any special earnings potential of the other person.

Relocation:

• Discover what to do if the other person wants to relocate.
• Decide if you may want to relocate, now or later.

Other:

• Hire the right evaluator? Get recommendations from your lawyer, friends, etc.
• Consider how it would help the other person if you did get angry.
• Consider if there is a sickness or disability to be considered.

When parents cannot agree on a custody arrangement, the court is left with a tough decision. The court will consider many factors when deciding to whom to award custody. In many cases, a consideration of the various factors results in an award of custody to the parent who has been the child’s primary caretaker.

Shared Custody Schedules – Simple & effective communication tools, ordered by courts in all 50 states!

 

The child custody checklist below:

This list will help you and your attorney establish who has been the primary caretaker in your family.

The assistance of an experienced child custody attorney can clarify your rights and help you navigate the family court’s many pitfalls.

 

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