Common mistakes to avoid during Minnesota child custody proceedings

There are several mistakes parents should avoid making during the divorce process to ensure that they are able to win custody of their children.

When parents decide to divorce in Minnesota, they often desire to obtain either legal or physical custody of their children. According to the Minnesota Judicial Branch, parents who have legal custody of their children have the authority to make major decisions about them. Comparatively, parents who have physical custody of their children have the right to make decisions about where their children live and how they spend their days. To enhance their changes of wining either legal or physical custody during the divorce process, there are several mistakes parents should avoid making as child custody proceedings commence.

Not being an actively involved parent

According to The Huffington Post, parents who are actively involved in the lives of their children are at an advantage during child custody proceedings. Parents who do not take care of their children’s needs and also show that they do not participate in their children’s activities may not be granted physical or legal custody by the court.

Exhibiting a lack of emotional control

During child custody proceedings, it is imperative that divorcing parents maintain proper self-control and exhibit good judgement. Although seeking custody can be a highly emotional process, parents should refrain from becoming unnecessarily angry in the court room and avoid acting out in front of anyone who might be involved with their case. For example, a divorcing parent should try and avoid not being able to control his or her emotions in front of his or her children’s teachers or his or her neighbors.

Not using technological communication devices with care

Today, information collected from electronic communication devices often plays a large role in child custody cases. For this reason, parents should be careful about the text messages and emails they send as well as the voicemails they leave for their former spouse as child custody proceedings progress. Parents who are unable to stop sending impulsive or angry messages to their ex-spouse may put themselves at risk of losing custody.

Failing to respect the other parent

In child custody cases, The Huffington Post states that judges typically favor parents who exhibit that they are able to work cooperatively with their former spouse to take care of their children. Divorcing parents who constantly criticize their ex-spouse and who try and harm the relationship their children have with their other parent may not be granted a desirable child custody outcome.

By avoiding these mistakes, Minnesota parents may find that the child custody arrangement the court develops matches their wishes and is also what is best for their children. To determine what you can do to protect the best interests of your children as you go through the divorce process, reach out to an attorney in your area.

Keywords: divorce, child, custody