How to Prepare for a Custody Court Date in Pennsylvania
Family law courts handling divorce or separation matters will conduct child custody hearings when the parents cannot come to an amicable agreement regarding custody. Preparing for your child custody hearing is critical to your successes, whether you are being represented by an attorney, or handling the hearing yourself.
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Instructions
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Collect your information and evidence that you wish to present, and make sure you arrange and organize it into easily accessible format. For instance, if you have financial records to prove you have shouldered the financial burden, break down the financial outlays by year and category. If you have witnesses you wish to present make sure you go over testimony prior to the hearing so they know the questions you will be asking them. Note that if there are any police officers or state health/child workers you want to use as a witness, you will need to subpoena them for the court date.
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Review the law in your state. If you are not using an attorney, the judge will give you some leeway, but she will not simply let you say what you want. You will still need to comply with state laws. Luckily, most states codify the factors that a court will take into account for making child custody determinations. Visit your local courthouse's law library to look up your state statute, or locate a copy online from your state website. Familiarize yourself with the factors that the court will examine.
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Prepare arguments that touch on each of the factors in your state custody statute. For instance, Alabama looks at the ability of each parent to provide, ability to nurture, and examines the depth and complexity of the parent-child relationship under Section 30-3-5 of the Alabama Family Code. Prepare short concise statements that address each point.
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Tips & Warnings
Be polite to the judge, arrive early, speak politely, and dress properly.
References
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