A child custody dispute can be hard-fought. But even after your initial custody issue is resolved through your divorce proceedings, you may later find that it no longer supports your child’s best interests. This often happens when circumstances or opinions change. While you have the ability to seek custody modification when you deemed it warranted to do so, you might also find yourself on the defensive when your child’s other parent seeks a modification.
How can you defend against a child custody modification request?
Although it can feel overwhelming to address a child custody modification, there are some ways to protect your child’s best interests. This includes:
- Presenting evidence that contradicts the assertions made by the other parent.
- Scrubbing your social media of posts that could prove harmful to your position.
- Reverting the focus back to your child’s best interests rather than personal attacks.
- Finding parental shortcomings that are applicable to the other parent, thus showing how their proposed modification isn’t in the child’s best interests.
- Requesting a child custody evaluation so that you can have a neutral third-party assess the situation and make a recommendation to the judge.
- Attacking the credibility and thus the reliability of the other parent and of any witnesses that they call on their behalf.
- Anticipating the other parent’s arguments so that you can fully prepare your counterarguments heading into the modification hearing.
Fight to protect your child’s best interests
It’s easy for a custody modification hearing to devolve into a fight based on personal character traits. But remember, the court will issue a ruling that it believes to be in your child’s best interest, so your arguments should be focused on that point. If you do so, then you’ll stand a better chance of defeating the modification request that’s been filed against you.