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Custody battles are one of family law’s most challenging concerns. When it comes to your children, your emotions run high, and it can be difficult to take a step back – in order to find the best path forward. While every custody case is unique and involves its own unique issues, an experienced San Antonio Family lawyer can help you navigate toward a case resolution that works for you and your children, while minimizing the drama to the degree possible.
The Court’s Perspective
When you’re facing a child custody battle, the most important point to keep in mind is that the court’s focus is on your children’s best interests, which includes factors like the following:
- Each parent’s preference
- The preference of each child who is considered mature enough to weigh in
- How well your children’s current living situation is working
- Each parent’s level of involvement in raising the children thus far
Ultimately, Texas courts presume that the best interests of all children include maximizing each parent’s parenting time – in relation to the circumstances involved. This is universally true – except in extraordinary circumstances when a parent is deemed unfit. While you and your ex may not end up sharing parenting time equally, you should expect your children’s other parent to receive a reasonably generous visitation schedule.
Set Your Priorities
Once you recognize that your ex will almost certainly be awarded a significant amount of time with your shared children, it’s time to consider your child custody priorities. When every issue is a battle, it only makes your case more contentious, costly, and time-consuming. When you take the time to identify what’s most important to you in terms of child custody, it can afford you more head space for engaging in compromises that help you resolve issues more effectively and efficiently.
For example, if your goal is to become the primary custodial parent, keeping your focus on this while giving in on lesser details is often a good strategy. When you allow everything to become a battle, it’s easy to lose sight of what matters most.
Put Your Kids First
Your child custody terms are all about your kids, but when you go into all-out battle mode, it takes a toll on you and your children. Your children need you during this difficult time more than ever, and if you’re worn to a nub by your contentious custody case, it’s hard to really be there for them. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t protect your rights, but finding a way to keep things as civil as possible honors your children’s best interests.
A Note about Parenting Plans
If you and your ex are not able to resolve your child custody case between yourselves, you’ll need the court’s intervention. When this is the case, you should expect to receive one of the court’s standard schedules. Knowing these schedules and having a solid argument about why one is better suited to your family than another is a good game plan as you head into court.
An Experienced San Antonio Family Lawyer Can Help
Custody battles are often brutal, but the compassionate San Antonio family lawyers at Hoelscher Gebbia Cepeda have the experience and legal savvy to help you obtain terms that work for you and your children, and we’re on your side. Learn more by contacting or calling us at 210-222-9132 today.