Steps to Help You Get Back Custody of Your Children

If you’ve lost custody of your children, chances are a court had reason to believe that your children would be better off in someone else’s custody. Therefore, the only way that you can gain back custody of your children is  to demonstrate to the Court that there is a substantial and unanticipated change of circumstances since the prior Order of the Court.

Once you have secured the assistance of a child custody attorney to help you in the process, the following are some steps that you can take to improve your chances of getting back custody:

• Request the services of a forensic psychologist. A  forensic psychologist will closely analyze everything about your case, including the types of interactions you have with your children, the environment that you have in your home and similar factors in the home of your children’s custodian. However, the Court will only appoint same if there are sufficient allegations of psychological issues to warrant such an evaluation.  The evaluator’s report  may be one of the key factors in a court’s decision.
• Address the issues you face. If you were not provided custody because of issues like safety, substance abuse or neglect, you will need to be able to prove that you have corrected those problems. For example, completion of an addiction program, counseling or parenting classes, as well as upgrades to your home, can all show that you are serious about being the best parent you can be.
• Follow the law to the letter. Everything you do will be under the microscope, so attend (and be on time for) all meetings about your case, abide every aspect of your custody arrangement (even if not allowed to see your children) and make sure that you follow all the rules of your visitation agreement. Never give anyone a reason to doubt your parental abilities.
• Request shared custody. If you are unable to get full custody of your children, the progress you show that you have made can at least help you to get shared custody. This can also work as a first step toward eventual sole custody.

For sound legal guidance as you work to gain custody of your children, contact the knowledgeable family law attorneys at Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia, LLP.