Perhaps you were not a model parent before, but now as you face a
divorce, you want to be a better parent for your child. There are ways to improve
your chances of still being awarded visitation rights, or even some custody,
but do not be surprised if this does not happen initially. It will take
time to prove to a judge that you have turned a corner in your life and
that you want to be more involved in the life of your child. But no matter
what happened in the original divorce settlement, remember that court
orders can be
modified later on.
If for example, you were not around for your child before, be there now.
Get to know him or her, spend time with your child. You can also introduce
yourself to their teachers, counselor, coaches, etc. Be involved where
you can. Perhaps you struggled with substance abuse before. You can enter
rehabilitation, take treatment; do what it takes to recover and to show
that you are now a sober and responsible parent. If necessary, you can
take other courses as well, such as anger management, or parenting classes.
Of course, these steps will not be completed overnight, and it could take
a considerable amount of time to overcome any distrust that the other
parent, the judge, and your child may have. It will take persistence and
dedication. In time, your attorney may be able to prove that there has
been a substantial and lasting change in your life, and that a modified
court order is in the best interests of the child.
There is also the chance that if you are not awarded any custody at all,
you may still have
visitation rights, or supervised visitation. Supervised visitation might be decided
upon if there has been substance abuse or abusive behavior before. It
is entirely up to the judge. If deemed necessary, the judge might suspend
visitation altogether—temporarily. Visitation rights can be reinstated
if it can be proven that there has been substantial progress.
These are just some of the steps you may be able to take to ensure that
your child can maintain a healthy relationship with both parents, something
that can be vital to the child’s development and wellbeing. If you
need any further advice in your divorce, especially as pertains to
child custody, do not hesitate to contact an experienced Raleigh divorce attorney. With
an issue so vital to you and your child, you cannot afford to be without
legal expertise on your side.
Contact Hopper Law Office to learn how we may be able to fight for the best interests of your child.