In a child custody dispute, both parties have very different claims and interpretations of events and parenting styles. Many parents take a case to trial based on hearing what they want to hear from their youngster. Who oversees homework and school projects? Contrary to what you may think, the court does not prefer to determine who gets custody of a child. These sample questions are guidelines, nothing more, and every witness and situation is different. If you absolutely can't hire an attorney, narrow your questions to information that will show the judge what's in the best interests of your child. When you are facing a child custody issue, you may have a lot of questions. Law for Families provides all the legal information that you and your family need. There are many types of helpful evidence, such as medical or school records. Procedures in Child Custody Disputes When a Parent Doesn't Return the Child, How to Make an Outline for Witnesses in a Child Custody Case, American Bar Association: The Direct Examination of a Parent, Bender Lefante Family Law: Witnesses in a Child Custody Case, Family Law in British Columbia: Sample Questions to Ask When Cross-Examining Witnesses, LSNJ Law: Representing Yourself in Court – How to Question Your Witnesses, FindLaw: Focusing on the “Best Interests” of the Child. An expert witness will offer evidence that the child is in need of one of the parents’ attention and care in Just like the hair example or plumber example, I could cut and color my own hair but it isn’t going to look anywhere as good as if I hired a professional. Except in rare circumstances, judges will interview these children outside their parents’ presence. When considering the custody of the child, plans for a new school, new home, or new adults in the household may be considered. What are the names of your child’s best friends? Who volunteers to chaperone school events? What happens when a child is called to court to testify. Travis earned his J.D. Versus character witnesses, it is often wise to think about fact witnesses that might have something important to say. Expert witnesses can be used in child custody cases to help parties convince the court that they should be granted custody. The court doesn’t want to disrupt your child’s life or change his lifestyle any more than is absolutely necessary simply because you and his other parent don't want to live together any longer. Questions to Ask a Lawyer About Child Custody Answered All of the questions to ask a lawyer about child custody are crucial to preparing for the custody proceedings. Read More: How to Make an Outline for Witnesses in a Child Custody Case. Mentioned ahead are a few child custody-related questions you should ask your divorce attorney to be well-informed. But avoid using them as character witnesses. In this case, you can certainly request that the attorney repeat the question. 1 Answer | Asked in Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce and Family Law for Michigan on Sep 23, 2020 Q: I want to win my divorce and custody case between me and my wife. Does your child behave any differently when he’s been with one parent or the other? No need to navigate the legal waters alone, Law for Families is here to help! These do's and don'ts will help you present yourself to the courts in the best light and help you win your child custody case. A. Questioning witnesses in open court is not something the average parent excels at, and you might not want to do it on your own. These people can often provide some useful information to the court, and they’re likely to be more impartial than friends, family members and neighbors – something judges tend to appreciate. Child Custody Trials in California: Go In Prepared A trial is like an extended, more formal version of a hearing.Both parties have the opportunity to explore all of their evidence and question witnesses in front of the judge so he or she If the question is unclear, or ambiguous, you can request that the attorney ask the question another way. Your witnesses should have immediate, firsthand knowledge of anything they testify to, or the judge won’t allow them to answer. How to Testify in a Custody Case Most people are nervous when they tes tify in court. When you have legal custody of your child, you’re entitled to make decisions on behalf of your child. You can use them to try to dispute some or all of the answers your ex has given, but his family is almost certainly going to agree with everything he's said, whether it’s true or not. Questions to Ask in a Child Custody Case How do the courts determine who gets custody? 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