3 Things That Can Prevent You From Getting Child Custody During A Divorce

If you will be getting a divorce from your spouse, one of the primary concerns you may have is getting custody of your children. However, a judge will ultimately determine which parent will get custody based on what is best for the child. Here are some things that may prevent you from getting the custody arrangement that you are looking for. 

Not Following Court Orders For Temporary Custody Arrangements

It's possible that you will be given some temporary court orders regarding custody while the divorce is being settled. As tempting as it may be to keep your children away from your spouse during a divorce, it's important that you are aware of the temporary custody arrangements so that you do not defy the court order. This is setting a bad precedent during the divorce proceedings because it is showing a judge that you are not willing to listen to court orders regarding child custody. If you leave the state or move away from your spouse so that they do not get to see their children, this can backfire when it comes to making a final custody arrangement.

Not Paying Temporary Child Support

Another temporary order that may be made by a judge is to pay child support while the divorce is being finalized. It is very important that you make those payments that need to be made, and if you cannot afford them, seek to have the temporary child support order modified as soon as possible. If you can't make the payment, it's important that you make some sort of partial payment to show that you are paying what you can. Not making any temporary child support payments and not requesting a modification can cause problems later on.

Not Talking Properly About Your Spouse

A common mistake that people make is saying bad things about their spouse to their children during a custody battle. Anything that you say will likely eventually get back to a judge and potentially influence their custody decision. If you are seen as the parent that is constantly bad-mouthing the other parent, it can look bad on you when determining custody. The children may be questioned directly by a judge where this information comes out, or a custody evaluator discovers this when they visit your home to find out more information about the custody situation. 

Reach out to a local child custody lawyer for more information about what can influence a custody battle.