Share:

When a child custody issue strikes, it can be a scary experience, upending your sense of normalcy and possibly changing your relationship with your beloved child. Fortunately, there are some things a parent can do to help ensure they retain custody. Here are five ways you can retain custody of your child following a divorce.

How to Retain Custody of Your Child

1. Be a Law-Abiding Citizen

A speeding ticket or parking citation is less of an issue than a criminal law infraction. However, the courts are going to frown upon a minor child staying in a home with a potentially dangerous or otherwise unstable individual. If you've struggled with staying on the straight and narrow path, now is the time to put your nose to the grindstone; your relationship with your child is at stake.

2. Pay Your Child Support

Don't renege on your child support obligations. The court has ordered you to pay a certain amount on a regular basis, and this money goes directly to the care and support of your child. You have both a legal and moral duty to pay child support, and, if you've kept up on your payments, you are earning another point in your favor as you try to retain custody.

3. Don't Break a Court Order

If the family court has ordered you to do or not do some specific action, honor the terms of the order. For example, if your ex has a restraining order out on you, don't break it; if you are ordered to pay both child and spousal support, pay them both without complaint. Again, you're showing respect for the rule of law, something the courts will look favorably upon.

4. Work With Your Ex

custodyIt might be difficult, but, when it comes to the best interests of your child, there should be nothing standing in the way between you and your ex having a civil relationship. Behave maturely, calmly, and rationally in all your dealings with your ex. You are demonstrating to the court you can transcend your differences and find common ground for the sake of your child.

5. Invest In Your Health & Future

A family court will award custody based on a number of factors, two of which are the health of the parent and the stability of their home. You should take care of your health, eat right, and exercise regularly; you want to be around for your kids. Also, invest in your future to advance your career or education; this shows you are taking solid steps to creating the most financially stable home possible.

 

If you are facing a custody matter, let the family and divorce attorney at The Law Offices of Charley Johnson help you find the legal solutions best suited for your family and future. For more than three decades, this Centerville, TX-based lawyer has been representing clients throughout Leon County. Call (903) 536-2185 or visit his firm online to arrange a consultation.

tracking