Author: Lisa Gelman

If you have to litigate custody, your most important allies in court will be all the people who have observed you interact with your child. These potential witnesses include relatives, teachers, doctors, daycare workers, neighbors and friends. Such witness testimony will be most helpful where the witness has seen your recent activities and interactions with …

A parent’s right to custody is substantial and, while not absolute, cannot be interfered with unless the best interests of the child clearly demand it. Thus, as against other relatives and third parties, a child’s natural parent is entitled to the custody and care of the child in an initial proceeding for custody, absent a …

In preparing for a custody case, be aware that your parenting skills and daily interactions with your children will be thoroughly inspected by a judge. You will want to continue being the best parent possible. The people who have had close contact with you and your children may be called as witnesses, when it comes …

When embarking on a custody battle, you should also remember that it is never too late to become a good parent. Put more bluntly, if you can modify your less desirable behavior with respect to the child in positive ways or do additional things to make the grade, you should begin to implement those positive …

The timeline for bringing claims or motions for child custody and visitation is long, stretching throughout a child’s minority. The child custody action can be brought either independently or it can be joined with an action for divorce or annulment. With regard to divorce, the custody action may precede or follow the divorce action; or …

The Childrens Law Reform Act states: “The court before which an application is brought in respect of custody of or access to a child, by order, may appoint a person who has technical or professional skill to assess and report to the court on the needs of the child and the ability and willingness of …

Your spouse’s discovery of your interest in another woman or man (as the case may be) could unravel a settlement as to custody. The sudden or unexpected “insertion” of another “parent” figure in your child’s life is often experienced as a threatening disruption by the child’s other biological parent; and many spouses react to such …

You and your spouse can decide which of you will have custody of your children. If you are unable to resolve this question, then a court will resolve the issue of custody for you. Judges consider a variety of factors in determining which parent is entitled to custody including the age of the child, the …