California parents who are getting ready to go to court over child custody issues need to be as prepared as possible. Everything from the way they are dressed to how questions are answered can all play a role in the results of the hearing.
Preparing for a child custody hearing includes organizing and developing the arguments that will be presented in court. These should be clear and specific, to show the judge that the parent has a strategy for raising their child. This also includes anticipating the questions that might be asked and planning out answers to these questions. Parents should expect questions such as who will take care of the child during work hours where the child will sleep in a small apartment.
Another way to prepare is to gather witnesses who can support the claims the parent will be making. Witnesses can include babysitters and teachers who can speak about the person’s parenting skills. For the day of the court hearing, physical appearance is also important. The parent should look their best, wearing professional, conservative clothing to show that they are a responsible adult. The day of the court hearing, the parent should be prepared for a short hearing as there are multiple proceedings each day. At each hearing, there will probably be multiple speakers, including the parents, witnesses and sometimes the children. Since there is limited time for each hearing, being ready with clear arguments and planned answers to questions will be helpful.
Parents who are looking at a court date to determine custody might want to prepare with a family law lawyer. Legal counsel could explain the process and help them plan out the answers to anticipated questions. A lawyer might also assist the parent in choosing witnesses who can best support their parenting claims.
