Coming to an agreement over custody of your child can be one of the most challenging aspects of a divorce. As parents, you both love your child, so the thought of being parted from them will be painful.
Most judges will seek an arrangement where you both get to see the child. They believe that it is usually in the child’s best interest.
Even when one parent is violent or has addiction problems, a court may seek to find a way for the child to maintain some contact with them, even if it requires the presence of a third party.
That does not mean you cannot push for a greater share of custody
Few custody splits are 50:50. Often, one parent gets much more time than the other. If you think that should be you, here is what you can do:
Demonstrate your positives
A judge is not looking for you to be parent of the year here. They want to see that you are the kind of decent human who can raise a child to be a reasonably well-rounded adult. If you have issues with drugs or alcohol, showing you are taking steps to deal with them can strengthen your case.
Don’t focus too much on your spouse’s negatives
It’s easy to criticize. Yet a judge might interpret your criticisms as a reflection of your personality rather than your spouse’s. They might leave thinking that your spouse was a saint for putting up with someone like you who appears to be full of hostility and negativity.
Getting help to construct and present your custody arguments will be crucial to increase your chances of success.