During the child custody hearing, the judge must understand when the parents have an agreement because the court doesn’t want to interfere if the arrangement works.
Ah, the child custody battle, the dreadful process where you get asked several questions and try to agree with your soon-to-be ex-partner. It’s not pleasant for any parent, but you must do it. During your battle, the judge asks many questions to determine which type of custody arrangement works better for your children. Primarily, the decision is based on the child’s best interests.
If you’re in this position, you’re probably wondering what questions you might get thrown your way. Here are the most common ones:
What is Your Income?
Financial status is one of the first factors determining your capability to care for your child. The judge needs your income to decide on a sole or joint custody arrangement, so you must provide evidence to the court. The judge also considers other financial obligations, so if you have no idea how to proceed, it’s best you get help from specialized lawyers.
What Custody Arrangement do You Want?
During your custody hearing, the judge will ask about the type of custody you seek. Do you want sole or joint? Usually, the court tends to prefer joint arrangements since they’re in the child’s best interests.
If you’re seeking sole custody, you should have evidence of why your child should be with you and not the other parent.
In that case, it would help if you gathered all important information and evidence with the help of your attorney. Depending on where you live, you could also seek help from Nashville-Davidson Custody Lawyers, who will tell you more about collecting proper evidence.
How do You Communicate with Your Co-Parent?
As mentioned above, the court prefers joint custody since the child can spend time with both parents. In joint custody, parents constantly communicate about significant decisions that affect their child’s life. The courts want to ensure that both parents are actively involved. To do so, the judge will ask about your communication with the other parent.
However, the court also considers whether the child is old enough to talk about their preferences regarding the custody arrangement. Still, several factors go into this decision, such as the child’s specific needs, everyday living before divorce, the non-custodial parent’s ability to pay child support, etc.
Do You Already Have Any Arrangements?
Sometimes, parents arrange child custody before going to the courtroom. That’s why the judge may ask about your current custody decision, whether formal or informal and see if there’s anything that’s not working.
During the child custody hearing, the judge must understand when the parents have an agreement because the court doesn’t want to interfere if the arrangement works. Many parents have an arrangement long before custody, usually in the divorce stage.
Similarly, you might consult a divorce attorney during the beginning stages of divorce. You must speak to qualified attorneys such as Nashville-Davidson Divorce Lawyers. They will provide tips and information on how you can develop a good custody agreement with your ex-spouse.
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