Parents who are going through divorce tend to be very concerned about what happens with their children. They want what’s best for them, and they often believe that this means they should have custody. However, there are some major mistakes that people make in child custody cases that could cause them to lose their kids. There is a strategy that needs to be used to help reduce the risk of losing custody.
When parents lose custody, it is often because they are making errors. They may not fully understand the situation. Certain things need to be done and said to win your case, and this isn’t always easily understood by those who are in the midst of a divorce. Working with an attorney that understands the nuances of the field can help you to get a better understanding of the types of strategies that are in play. In Arizona family court, things are relatively straightforward.
However, people often don’t know what they are supposed to do. Other times, they might be too prideful. Despite knowing what they are supposed to do, they choose not to do what is asked by the courts or the attorneys. Other times, they might be incapable of doing what the court is asking. Let’s take a closer look at these three potential reasons people lose custody.
You Don’t Know What You’re Supposed to Do
This happens with a large number of people. If you are attempting to represent yourself, or if you have an attorney that is not well-versed in the realm of family law, you will be at a loss. You will not have any idea how you are supposed to approach situations. You might be using an incorrect strategy for your case.
What you should be doing is focus on having and developing a good, positive relationship with your child. You should focus on trying to get parenting time with the child and making the most of the time that you have. It should be meaningful, and you should focus on meeting the needs of your child.
Here’s where many people make mistakes. They instead spend their time focusing on the other parent. The job of the attorney working for you is to focus on the other parent, while your job is to focus on your child. If you have decided to represent yourself, this creates a challenge because you have to be both a lawyer and a parent. This can be difficult, and most will find it to be impossible to do on their own.
When the attorney, or someone representing themselves, is developing a case against the other parent and why they shouldn’t have child custody, it should still be centered around the child and their needs. What is it that the other parent is not providing? What are they doing that’s wrong?
Parents don’t always use these tactics because they aren’t aware of what the judge wants to hear. Sometimes, they do know, but they find that it’s too hard or that they want to tell the judge about how bad the other parent is. These are mistakes that could cost you custody of your child. Everything needs to be focused on the child and how certain behaviors affect the child.
You Refuse to Change Your Behavior Despite Knowing You Will Lose Child Custody
Some parents believe that they are right all the time. Even in cases where they know they may not be right, they won’t admit it. This might include the way that the parent disciplines their child, for example. It might be things that damage them psychologically or emotionally, such as removing the door from their room or selling their belongings. These things might have been “the way it was done” to the parent when they were growing up. However, it doesn’t mean it’s right, and it doesn’t mean that they should treat their children like this.
Still, some parents refuse to make changes in their own life and lifestyle, even though it could cause them to lose custody of their children. They are too prideful and believe they are right, much to their detriment. Remember, the courts want to do what’s best for the children. Your pride and your feelings don’t matter. You have to change the way you think and act about your parenting.
You Aren’t Able to Make the Needed Changes to Keep Your Children
In some cases, parents who are addicts or who have mental health issues and who are unable to get proper treatment could lose their children. Having an addiction or mental health issue does not mean that you will automatically lose your custody case for parenting time and decision-making rights. What will tank the child custody case is lack of treatment and refusal of treatment.
Those who take the steps to get the treatment they need will not lose custody. The state of Arizona believes that both parents should be in a child’s life unless it is a clear and serious danger to the child.
Work with an Attorney
You love your children, and you want to do what’s best for them. Keep all three of these issues in mind when you are working toward getting custody during or after your divorce. Sometimes, it means making changes to the strategies that you are using, to your parenting style, and your lifestyle. Learn what you need to do to get custody of your children and get some help if you need it.
While it is possible to represent yourself, you do need to be careful about going this route. There are a lot of things that you will have to consider, and sometimes, it’s hard to act as both the parent and your own representation when you have to go after the other parent. The best course of action in most cases is to speak with an attorney that specializes in family law in your location. Get the professional legal help you need to find out how to get custody.
