Don't Let Your Child's Schooling Interfere with Your Custody Battle

Child custody negotiations and hearings are complicated things. Your attempts to get custody of your children may be jeopardized by seemingly innocent gestures. For example, enrolling your children in school isn't a straightforward affair. Here are some school-related measures to preserve your chances of getting custody.

Don't Change the School before a Formal Agreement

Divorce is between parents, and the effect that is there on children only occurs because it cannot be helped. For this reason, the court will always side with the welfare of the young ones if contrasts with the parents' wishes.

Since disrupting a child's education is bad, the general idea is that the child should continue attending the same school until either the parents agree, or the court issues a directive. If you switch the child's school, then he or she may have to make another change when the decision is made; that would be too disruptive.

Enroll the Child in the Appropriate District

Common sense dictates that your child should be enrolled in the same district as the parent with whom he or she spends most of the time. That is the practical thing to do. If you have shared custody of the child, then you have to live close to one another. That way you won't disrupt the child's education in the name of spending equal times with him or her.

Get an Agreement before Enrollment

If you have a young one who hasn't been enrolled in school, then neither of you should enroll him or her before coming to an agreement. As parents, it's your responsibility to come to an agreement fast before the school season begins. If you anticipate a long divorce (for example, it you are headed to litigation), then you should seek for temporary custody. That way the child's education won't be paused while you are sorting out your adult issues. Remember, litigated divorces take an average of 17.6 months; your child can't wait that long.

Domesticate Out-of-State Orders

Most states require you to follow domesticate orders issued by courts in other states before they can take effect or are enforced. Domesticating court orders is just a means of getting them legally recognized in the applicable state. Domestication is as simple as registering or filing the orders with your nearest family court in your new state.

Whenever in doubt, talk to your lawyer before making a decision. It's also good to talk to the other parent, especially if you are in speaking terms. You may be surprised at the number of problems you can solve via simple consultation. For more information visit sites like http://www.paulmoorelaw.com.