Our Blogs

5 Things NOT to Do in Your Child Custody Hearing

#1 Spend Your Time Bashing Your Ex

Unless you were personally there, saw it, and have video or photographic evidence, leave the trashing of the other side to your child custody attorney!

Spend your time talking about how the kids do well with you, and all the things you do RIGHT. Anticipate the bad things they might say about you and soften them by acknowledging any weak spots (Yeah, I let the kids stay up late and watch the Super Bowl, so we were tardy the next day for school, but that was the one and only time) or whatever.

#2 Mess Up Your Timeline! 

If you are going to be seen as reliable, you need to be knowledgeable and if you can’t even keep any of your dates straight, you will seem more likely to be making it up.

If you aren’t good with dates, that’s ok. Keep a journal so you won’t forget them, AND you can reference it to prepare for your court date months or years later.

#3 Wear Offensive Clothing to the Hearing

Marijuana, vulgar words, and offensive themes (such as wearing a confederate flag shirt/hat or a shirt that says F-the-popo) to your hearing are great if you want to get off to a BAD start with the judge before you even get started.

#4 Lie About Things

Small or big, lies make EVERYTHING you say look bad at best, and completely false at worst. If you are lying about 1 thing the judge and other attorneys will call EVERY SINGLE THING into question.

#5 Get Arrested the Night Before

Need help with your child custody issues? Contact the family law attorneys at Apple Payne Law to schedule your consultation.

location map

Contact us below and we’ll be in touch as soon as possible!

Kernersville Office

900 Old Winston Rd. STE 212
Kernersville NC 27284

Winston-Salem Office

190 Charlois Blvd. Suite 200
Winston-Salem NC 27103