It’s normal to feel jittery and nervous before a child custody hearing. There are a few things you can do, however, to calm your nerves — such as getting as prepared as possible before your trial. Here are some tips that we give to our clients before their child custody hearings so that they’re as fully prepared as possible:
Get familiar with Florida state child custody rules
The more a litigant understands about Florida state child custody rules the better. This will help the mother or father enter the child custody hearing with a realistic perspective about what’s possible. It will also help him or her remain calm and trust that the goal of the process is to serve the best interests of the child or children involved.
Learn about the better-parent standard
The better-parent standard is what courts use when they need to choose one parent to serve as the primary caretaker or custodial parent over another. When the parent understands this standard, he or she can better advocate for appropriate parental rights in court.
Find out how to act in court:
There are many rules that will apply to your court hearing. However, there are also some rules of etiquette that you should ask your child custody attorney about. Your lawyer will help ensure you dress and act appropriately during your hearing.
You shouldn’t fear your child custody hearing if you have prepared for it fully in advance. If you’ve contracted a child custody attorney to represent you, your legal counselor will assist you in crossing all of your t’s and dotting all your i’s in this regard.