Whether your child custody battle is part of a divorce or a standalone case, there is a lot on the line. Unfortunately, these cases involve a lot of emotions, which can lead people to make mistakes that can hurt their chances of getting the results they want. The following are five of the most common mistakes people make when going through a child custody battle and why you should avoid them.

1.       Putting the Desire to Hurt Your Ex Before Your Children’s Best Interests

In most child custody battles, the two parents don’t get along very well, to say the least. This can make it very tempting to try to do everything possible to hurt your ex through the courts. While this may give a brief moment of satisfaction, it will hurt your case and your children in the long run. Try to take a step back and think about what is best for your children at all times.

2.       Ignoring or Violating Court Orders

Even when a custody battle is still active, the courts will usually have issued a temporary order to deal with the current situation. Just because this is a temporary order, however, does not mean that you can ignore it. If you violate even a small part of a court order, you can get in quite a bit of legal trouble. On top of that, it will make the judge more likely to side with your ex when making long term decisions in your case.

3.       Moving In with a Significant Other

Wanting to move on from your ex is a normal thing, but you need to be careful what you do when going through a custody battle. Having your significant other move in is a very big decision, and one that will directly impact your children. The courts like to see stability in the home when making custody decisions, and inviting someone new into the house (or moving into their home) doesn’t give impression of stability to many judges.

4.       Making Decisions About the Children Without Informing Your Ex

Even if you have been granted the right to make decisions on behalf of your child (typically called legal custody) in a temporary order, that doesn’t mean you should do so without informing your ex. Doing things like changing schools or even having them miss a day of school without letting your ex know looks bad to a judge. Georgia courts want to see an effort being made for positive co-parenting, and that involves good and open communication.  

5.       Ignoring an Attorney’s Advice

Hiring an attorney to represent you in a child custody battle is important, but if you don’t listen to their advice, you are really hurting your case. An attorney is legally obligated to work with your best interests in mind, so make sure to listen to and follow their advice. Contact the Law Offices of Adam Stein to discuss your case with us and see how we can help.