When faced with the realities of divorce, a critical part of the negotiation process is determining child custody. This process can be extremely overwhelming and emotionally charged. Not only are your children involved in a potentially contentious legal situation, but lawyers, and potentially a judge, will need to get involved in the finer details of your home life.
In determining which parent will receive primary custody, a courtroom will be delving into your private affairs to analyze the evidence that can bring a case to the best conclusion for both the child and your family.
At Collins Family Law, we wrote this guide with the hope of exploring all the potential forms of evidence you can use in a child custody case. After reading it, if you still have questions, you can contact our Manassas child custody attorneys to get all the answers you need through a case evaluation. Contact us online or by calling (703)375-7343.
Types of Evidence In Child Custody Cases
To assert why you are the ideal full-time parent for your child, you will need to provide evidence that supports your claim. At the end of the day, your child custody case focuses on the well-being of your child and their best interests.
So, when considering what type of evidence is best in your child custody case, you’ll need to examine the following:
- Evidence of Your Parenting Skills: You’ll need to show some kind of proof of your parenting. This includes how you support your child developmentally and the home environment that you have built for your family. To support your claims of a sound parenting style, you’ll need assessments and witness testimony from experts like educators, therapists, or your child’s doctor to demonstrate your ability.
- Evidence of a Safe and Stable Home Life: A safe home is more than just the literal environment in which you’re rearing your child (although that’s a major component of it); it also speaks to the stability and consistency of your home life. Do you have a steady job? A helpful support system, like extended family? These elements all support your case.
- Evidence of a Positive Parent-Child Relationship: This measures how connected you are to your child or children. The courts will examine things like extracurricular involvement and how much support the parent seeking primary custody has in the life of their child.
- Evidence of Co-Parenting Skills: Co-parenting skills mean the ability to continue to rear your child or children while still managing a positive relationship with your ex-spouse (even though you’re divorcing). A positive co-parenting relationship means that the child feels secure through a cooperative parenting relationship.
- Evidence Against Other Spouse (If Necessary): If your other spouse was abusive, negligent, or harmed you or your child in any way, you will need to demonstrate that to the court as well. Substance abuse issues, untreated mental illness, and other matters can also play a role in the evaluation of the other spouse’s parenting abilities. Documentation of these matters can help you get the custody you seek regarding your child.
What Are the Next Steps for A Child Custody Case?
If you need help with a child custody case, it is critical to contact a compassionate Manassas family law attorney, like those at Collins Family Law. Contact us at (703)375-7343