Custody hearing tomorrow... any advice?

Custody and Visitation Forum
1

Hey guys, I’m anxious about a custody hearing I have tomorrow in Pennsylvania. I’ve been with my soon-to-be ex-husband for almost 9 years, and we have a 5-year-old son together. He also has an 11-year-old daughter from a previous relationship; her mother passed away when she was just 6 weeks old. I’ve raised her since she was 15 months old. I’ve been a stay-at-home parent due to disability since my son was born. My ex is emotionally and financially abusive, and he threw me out earlier this year. I managed to keep our son with me, but we went through a rough patch living in hotels and with friends until we finally found an apartment. During that time, he went no contact with both kids for about 4 months, which was really hard. He has started paying child support for our son, but he hasn’t paid anything for his daughter, not even her Social Security benefits. I sent my lawyer a detailed document with evidence of neglect and abandonment regarding both kids. I’m just really worried about how the hearing will go and what it means for the kids. I want to know if anyone has been through something similar and what I can expect. Thanks for reading

2

Good luck with everything. I can’t imagine how tough this must be for you and your kids.

3

Honestly, it sounds like you have a solid case. The fact that he hasn’t shown up for supervised visits looks bad on his part.

4

Have you talked to your lawyer about the daughter’s benefits? That might help your case.

5

Cade said:
Have you talked to your lawyer about the daughter’s benefits? That might help your case.

Yeah, I mentioned that to my lawyer today. Just hoping it all goes smoothly.

6

I think you should let your evidence speak for itself. The court will see his actions or lack thereof.

7

Echo said:
I think you should let your evidence speak for itself. The court will see his actions or lack thereof.

I agree. I try not to say anything negative about him directly. My lawyer is handling that.

8

@Taylor
That’s smart. Keeping it professional can make a big difference in court.

9

It sounds like a really tough situation for all of you. I hope you find some peace soon.

10

Bela said:
It sounds like a really tough situation for all of you. I hope you find some peace soon.

Thanks. The kids are especially worried about seeing him. It’s been a lot for them.