Child custody advice is usually the generic kind. It
has to be. Every case is different. Every judge is different. Every
situation is different. But there is valuable child custody advice that
applies to all cases. And considering this is probably the most
important decision you’ll be making in your life, it’s vital that you
be prepared.

Obviously the best scenario is to be prepared from
the very beginning. Every choice you make in your custody case, gives
more weight to that decision But wherever you are in the process, this
information will help you. So, while it’s sometimes hard to give
specific answers, these are the 2 critical truths about family courts
that anyone looking for child custody advice needs to understand.

1. The law will only work for you if you know what it is.
You need to be well versed in what the law says about your situation.
No one, not even the best attorney in the world, knows the details in
your case like you do. And even good attorneys can overlook things.

For
instance, during Mary’s separation her husband, on numerous occasions,
threatened to take her son and run. She mentioned it in passing to her
attorney but it never amounted to anything. Had she pursued it, it
could have been grounds for supervised visits for her ex husband.

Little
things can make a huge difference in your case. Since you won’t be able
to tell your attorney everything, find out what matters and discuss
these with your attorney, even if they blow it off at first. When Mary
mentioned it later to her attorney, he admitted that it could have been
used to ask for supervised visits.

2. This is not a justice system. This is a court system.
Don’t assume you’re automatically going to win because your case is a
slam dunk. You need to be prepared to fight, and you need to have every
advantage you can gain. This means a very competent attorney who knows
the court system and the judge very well.

No one knows what truly
happened in your life before you showed up in court. And sadly, they
may not care. Do not come at this with rose-colored glasses or you may
lose before you even get started. Be prepared to defend your parenting
skills, your lifestyle, your rights to your children. Hopefully, your
case may never get that far, but if it does, you need to be ready.

No
matter what child custody advice you get, the more you know about
family law, the court process, and the people involved, the more likely
you and your children will come out with a positive outcome.