Child custody cases are harrowing for a parent and their child. Things get worse, as the duration of the case takes quite a long time. However, do not lose hope and be prepared with what you may need to deal with during the process and be equipped with everything you need to win custody of your children. The following are some of the important steps.

Hire a Well-Resourced Lawyer – The first and most important thing to do is hire an effective lawyer. Find the best group of lawyers in your area and make an appointment to meet them all. Visit all of them, even if you’re happy with the first one, to select the best of the lot. Keep the following points in mind when choosing a lawyer.

– Before choosing your lawyer, make sure that you have a team of trained and knowledgeable support staff, who can properly guide you in the lawyer’s absence, whenever a problem arises.

– Find a lawyer who belongs to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, since they are usually the most qualified, possessing a vast knowledge of child custody issues and updated with the latest jurisprudence. Above all, select a knowledgeable and experienced attorney who is trained to handle all child custody matters.

– If your case goes to family court, then consider a lawyer, who is well familiar with local politics and, in particular, with the judge overseeing the process.

Expert Witnesses: Find out from the lawyer if you need any expert witnesses, such as psychologists, social workers, or investigators. An investigator can capture the immoral nature of the opposing parent, which will prove more credible in court than his own. The court considers the opinion of a psychologist on the child’s statement very important.

Documentation: During this phase, you should keep a calendar to keep all the necessary notes about the dates of the events that take place, in your own handwriting. This valuable documentary evidence is admired in court, especially when the other party is unable to produce it.

Record all the details: buy an adapter for your phone and connect it to a recorder or buy a mini pocket recorder. Record all conversations between you and the other parent in detail, which will be extremely helpful to your lawyer. It often happens in custody cases that parents behave violently towards each other and camouflage themselves in front of their lawyer or judges. Therefore, these records will bring the other party to the true light if the opportunity arises, such as in the case of denial.

Guidelines for your behavior: You must conduct yourself well during court proceedings and maintain courtesy while conversing with the other parent as well. Attend all of your child’s school programs and other extracurricular activities. Try to have lunch at the child’s school at least once a month. Visit church regularly with your child. Remember that your child’s teacher can be a great witness.

Try not to get involved in any other issues during this phase, if the child is your main concern. Assume that the other parent’s attorney has retained an investigator for you, which may also be true.

Keep the parent/child relationship smooth: Avoid interfering in the relationship between the child and the other parent and their family. Try to nurture those relationships because this will give you credit when the court considers which parent can facilitate the relationship with the other parent more.

Some Special Cases – Certain situations arise when the custodial parent wishes to move with the child to another state. The first thing a custodial parent must do is file the petition; You must be well prepared as the other parent can challenge the petition.

However, in such cases, the final decision rests with the judge who takes into consideration the “best interests of the child”. The judge will consider how this change may affect the child, or whether the move will improve the child’s quality of life, before rendering the verdict. But if the parents are not married and the child lives with the mother, then the father will have a hard time avoiding moving to other states. Therefore, handle your child custody case with extreme caution, as a single mistake can result in losing your child forever.