When it comes to your children, you’ll do anything to provide them with the best life possible. Unfortunately, things don’t always work out the way you might have wanted. When you need expert legal help for a child custody battle, look no further than Skillern Firm in Sugar Land, TX. Our attorneys have knowledge that comes from years of courtroom experience.
Keeping your child safe is the number one priority in your life—that’s why it’s essential to go with the experts when you need legal help with a custody battle. However, there are a few things you’ll need during a custody battle, which will be one of the most challenging experiences of your life. That’s where we come in here at Skillern Firm. We have a team of professional attorneys ready to help.
Custody: 8 Things You’ll Need During a Custody Battle
1. An Experienced Attorney to Fight for You
The number one thing you need during a custody battle is an experienced law firm to protect your best interests. The attorneys at Skillern Firm have the expertise and skills needed, and are ready to fight for you when the stakes are highest. One of the easiest mistakes to make when you need legal help is to hire an incompetent attorney.
When you choose Skillern Firm, you can rest assured that we will go above and beyond to help you, especially when it comes to your child. Our highly skilled attorneys take a novel approach to representing you in your child custody case. Here at Skillern Firm, we don’t just want to win your case: we want to help you move forward in your life, so you and your family can be happy and healthy.
2. Evidence Against the Other Party
One of the most crucial things you’ll need during a custody battle is evidence. If you’re trying to prove that the other parent is unfit, you will need more than just hearsay or your word. It requires hard proof and evidence of negligent acts. This includes proof of things like:
- Felony offenses or arrest records
- Unsafe living environment
- History of substance abuse
- Unstable living conditions
- Evidence of family violence
- History of any abuse
If you have evidence of the things listed above, it’s vital to bring that to your custody battle. Most custody battles in Sugar Land, TX, are about where the child will live most of the time. However, if your custody battle is more involved than deciding joint custody, it’s imperative to meticulously document any evidence that shows the other parent is unfit.
3. Evidence to Support your Case
Just as it’s vital to gather evidence against the other parent, you also want to take the time to document things in your favor. That means phone logs, text messages, emails, and any other type of communication. When you have to refute a claim in court, having evidence to back up your side can be the difference between winning or losing your case. When your child is involved, you don’t want to take any chances.
4. Witness Statements
Witness statements are another crucial part of how custody litigation. It’s a sad fact that custody battles tend to get ugly. Unfortunately, when a child is involved, some parents will stop at nothing to gain custody, even if it means lying under oath. That’s why it’s critical to get as many witness statements as you can that show you’re a fit parent and of exceptional character.
In fact, it’s even better if you can get witness statements from authority figures or community leaders. Some people to ask (if you know them) could include your pastor, teachers, politicians, police officers, anybody in the community who will vouch for your character and ability to parent. If you don’t know any authority figures, even statements from your family, friends, and neighbors can be a valuable asset.
5. A Good Parenting Plan
Whether you’re planning on filing for joint custody or full custody, one thing you’ll need is a parenting plan. The Texas court will determine the official parenting plan, which sets the duties and rights of the parent regarding the child, and will include the right to things like:
- Designate the primary residence
- Decide about education
- Determine medical care
- Provide health insurance
Even though the court will set that official plan in place, it’s still a good idea to make your own parenting plan. This could include a weekly routine for your child/children, plans for schooling, hobbies, activities, extracurriculars, and the like. Showing that you can provide a home with structure and a positive environment is vital to prove you’re a fit parent.
6. Proof of a Stable Living Environment
Another essential piece of custody battles is showing that you have a safe and supportive environment for your children. Even if you’re only going for joint custody, it’s still essential to show that you have a loving, nurturing, and safe environment for your children to grow and thrive.
Showing the judge that you are a capable, loving parent with room for your child to flourish goes a long way. If you want to know how to get custody, providing a stable living environment is a great place to start.
7. Evidence of Financial Stability
Gathering proof that you can provide a financially stable environment is also important. Though money shouldn’t matter when it comes to how much you love your child, unfortunately, it sometimes can. It’s vital to prove to the judge that you can provide for your child’s basic needs, which is the primary part of a child custody case.
Proving financial stability is very easy: just gather up paystubs and a copy of your taxes for the prior year. With that information, you should have no problem proving to the judge that you can provide a comfortable life for your child. Even if you’re not a millionaire, as long as you can handle your child’s basic needs, that will significantly help your custody case.
8. Patience and Trust
Two other things you’ll need for a child custody case are patience and trust. Patience is essential because, many times, a custody battle can be very long and drawn out. Having some patience and strength to overcome can help you avoid making mistakes out of frustration that could potentially hurt your case.
Trust is another critically important aspect of a child custody case. You need to have trust in yourself as a parent and trust in your attorney, too. Finding the right lawyer can make or break your case—that’s why here at Skillern Firm, our team is dedicated to fighting for you and your child’s best interests. A truly brilliant lawyer can make the difference in winning a close case and makes the entire process much, much less stressful for you.
When you need legal help, it’s crucial to find the right lawyer. This is particularly true for child custody cases. When you need the best possible legal help, turn to the experienced team of attorneys at Skillern Firm. We have the courtroom experience and comprehensive knowledge of child custody law in Texas to help you get the edge you need to win your case. Contact us here at Skillern Firm today for a consultation when you need help with a child custody battle.