Filing for child custody is the first step in gaining custody of your children. It involves filling out a variety of forms, most of which are available at your Family Court courthouse. Filling out the paper work is not difficult and often times the court personnel will assist you. However the preparation that you do before you step into the court house often determines whether you will get the custody arrangement that you seek.
Before you file for child custody do your homework. Read up on the state’s requirements and guidelines for custody. Never go into a child custody battle unprerared. Talk to people that have dealt with the family courts in your area to learn what you are up against. You can learn a lot from other people’s experiences and mistakes.
One resource that I highly recommend is The Custody Center run by Dr Elliot and Dr Bricklin, two of the foremost experts in child custody. You can check it out by clicking here. They provide years of research and experience in custody and are up to date with changes in the laws of every state. A great help in your child custody battle.
Filing fo child custody requires knowledge and planning.
You might also want to visit an attorney to find get basic information about family law in your area. Many will provide an initial consultation at little or no cost. It’s a great way to find out how they would handle your case and what they anticipate the outcome will be.
After you have done your homework and you are ready to file your child custody papers you will need to go to the court house that handles child custody in your area. This is usually the Family Court but you can find out for certain by calling the court house and asking.
Ask the clerk what you need to do to file for child custody. Be polite, most clerks are very helpful if you treat them with respect. Ask the clerk if there is a filing fee, if you are responsible for delivering or serving the other parent a copy of the filing, if you might qualify for free legal help and how to get it. Ask what type of payments they accept if there is a filing fee. Ask what you need to do after you file the papers. Clerks are really the backbone of the court system, treat them right and it will make your life that much easier.
When you arrive at the courthouse make sure that you bring all the information that you need to fill out the papers. This would include birthdays and social security cards for children, the home address and work address of the other parent and any other information that the clerk advised you to bring. File the papers and make sure that you understand exactly what you need to do next.
The act of filing for child custody is not that complex and you can do it. The main thing to realize is that you, your children and the other parent have certain rights, each specific to your state. If you want to make sure that your rights are protected you need to know your rights. One resource is to check out www.findlaw.com or invest in the information provided at The Custody Center. They are recognized experts in the field and have the most up to date info on child custody. You can download the information immediately and it comes with a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied (if only lawyers would do that!)
These are the basics for filing for child custody. Once more the key is to be prepared. Ask questions, research, read, know what to expect. When in doubt, hire an attorney, the stakes are too high to risk it.
