What a Family Law Firm Needs to Know in a Custody Case
The custody of a child can be a very unnerving and scary time for all involved. For those who are seeking custody of their children, knowing what to do and what to say are things that no one can blame them for seeking out.
Once a person has hired a family law firm to represent them, they probably want to know what it is that they should tell that firm about the case. Here is what everyone should tell their family law firm when they’re involved in a custody case:
The necessary information about the child or children in question. This does include basic information like their first and last name, birth-date, address, and the school they attend. This can also include other pertinent information that a client feels that the firm should know. For example, their nickname and daycare center would also be important pieces of information to include.
Is there any question about paternity? This seems like an easy answer for some, as they have no doubts as to who the parents are but people can and have been surprised at information coming to light that they previously were unaware of. The question of paternity is always a good one and the family law firm should be aware of what the answers are.
Information on the opposing party or parent. This doesn’t need to be a moment of mudslinging, but a client’s representatives in court need to know everything they can about the opposition in a court of law.
They should know the basic information about them like their occupation, full name, address, etc. but they should also be made aware of any other information that might be pertinent to the case, like infidelity or an intention to move away.
Where the child, or children, has lived over the last five years. This does seem like something one would only do when having a background check done, but it is important in providing a picture of the child’s stability. If there is an indication that the child has moved around a lot, this could be important to the lawyer being able to build a proper case for custody.
Any history of domestic abuse or violence. If anything like this has happened then your family law firm needs to know. A history of domestic issues like this heavily influences a court’s decision on who to award custody to. If the client of the firm has been accused of domestic violence at some point in the past, their lawyers need to know this before they go into the courtroom.
Likewise, if the other parent has any history like this, it’s also something to let the representing firm know.
Any other cases relating to the chid. If there are any other cases before the court involving the child, a family law firm needs to know. They should also be aware of any child support has been awarded to either parent.
