Parents will do everything in their power to protect their children. However, during a custody battle, you may feel overwhelmed by the legal process and want a quick resolution. While your relationship with the other parent may be stressful and perhaps contentious, now is not the time to lose your temper or vent your frustrations.
Words are powerful and can carry enormous weight during a custody dispute. Avoiding certain words, phrases, and behaviors can help improve your chances of a favorable outcome and prevent you from jeopardizing your case.
Things Not to Say During a North Carolina Custody Dispute
Working through a custody dispute can be challenging. There will be times when you have a lot to say, and things may get heated. However, your words can impact your case, so choosing your words wisely matters.
Avoid badmouthing or making negative comments about the other parent.
If you are in the middle of a contentious divorce and custody battle, you may not have a lot of positive things to say about your partner. Before you give voice to those thoughts, think about your children and how the negative things you say could come back to hurt them and your child custody case. Making negative comments about and disparaging a child’s other parent can harm their emotional well-being and may alienate the child from their other parent.
Intentional or malicious parental alienation is also frowned upon by North Carolina courts and could potentially jeopardize your child custody case. Keep positive interactions with you and your child, and avoid negative language about your partner’s personal life and parenting skills. If you have concerns about the skills and abilities of your child’s other parent, discuss your issues with your family law attorney.
Do not use threatening language.
Never use threats or threatening language when interacting with your child’s other parent. Some individuals may attempt to withhold their child from the other parent or threaten to withhold the child. The court can see this as manipulation. Not only can it harm your child’s relationship with you and their other parent, but it can also cause legal complications in your custody case.
Do not use physical or emotional threats to intimidate or manipulate them into a particular course of action.
Do not make promises to your child that you cannot keep
It can be tempting to promise your child the world to make them happy and understand that things will eventually turn out alright. Yet it is damaging to make promises to your child that you cannot or have no intention of keeping. For one thing, it can appear as a manipulation tactic and again could look like parental alienation. Promising a child a trip to Disney to get them to say they want to live with you in court would be one example of a promise used to manipulate a custody situation.
Conversely, don’t overpromise, even if you intend to keep your word. If something happens and you can’t deliver, it can make you appear “flaky,” inconsistent, or unreliable.
Don’t lie
It sounds simple, but sometimes the easiest things are the hardest to remember. It is natural to want to put your best foot forward during a custody battle. However, do not lie to your children or the court. Be honest and upfront about your finances, career, family, and living arrangements. Chances are, your partner’s legal team already knows this information. Lying about it puts you on the defensive, making you look less trustworthy and potentially hurting your custody case.
A North Carolina Child Custody Lawyer Can Help
Knowing what to say and when to say it during a child custody battle can be challenging. Protect yourself and your family by discussing your case with a knowledgeable North Carolina child custody attorney at Greene Wilson & Styron, P.A.
Contact our office today for a confidential consultation, and let us do the talking for you.