Your Behavior May Affect Your Custody Battle

Most of us believe that we are good people, but when it comes to a custody battle, sometimes the worst versions of ourselves come to the surface. In the moment, it all seems reasonable and justifiable, but if you're not careful, you can create great problems for yourself by your own behavior in a custody negotiation. Before you make any drastic moves, or if you feel yourself heading in a dangerous direction, consider these warnings.

A custody arrangement is supposed to be about what is truly best for the child at the heart of the matter. To this end, one of the best things you can do for yourself and for your child is to be dependable. Show up on time, keep your promises, and never force your child to get involved in your conflict with his or her other parent. Many custody cases have gone one way or the other because of the behavior of a parent who probably thought to themselves, "But, I didn't do anything wrong!" You don't have to break the law to jeopardize your privileges in the eyes of the court.

That being said, any illegal or inappropriate activity like consuming drugs or drinking in the presence of your children will not reflect well on you, especially if your child's other parent knows or has documentation. Whether a certain behavior is illegal or not is irrelevant to some degree — it's more important to demonstrate that you are a parent who is good for your child.

A court may ask you to do certain things while considering a custody arrangement. It is always in your best interest to comply with these requests. If you have any questions about a more personalized strategy for achieving your custody goals, do not hesitate to reach out to an experienced attorney who can help you.

Source: The Spruce, "14 Dos and Don'ts for Winning Child Custody," Jennifer Wolf, accessed July 14, 2017