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Get recommendations for the right lawyer. (from your family lawyer, friends, bar association?) |
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Make a list of the other person's weaknesses. The other person is usually your spouse or former spouse, but may be grandparents, foster parents, siblings, or even the State. |
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Make a list of the other person's strengths. This is really important, it is too easy to concentrate on the other person's weaknesses and what they do wrong--here we want you to list what they do right. |
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Make a list of your strengths. |
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Make a list of your weaknesses. Be brutally honest. Only you and your lawyer will see the list. |
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Decide if you should be the first to initiate the suit. |
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Decide if you should try to settle the case. |
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Write out a Draft Custody Plan. List everything that you want as if you will be able to get everything that you want--you won't get everything but making this list is a good start. |
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Make a list of the negotiable points in your Draft Custody Plan. |
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Decide if you should start negotiating with the other person. |
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Make a list of your bargaining chips. |
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Decide if you should work out a temporary custody plan with the other person. |
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Find out what criteria your family court looks at when awarding custody. |
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Find out if the other person is using alienating strategies. |
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If the other person is using alienating strategies, put into effect a plan to counteract these strategies. |
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Decide if the other person may make false allegations in court. What would they be? |
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Decide how to refute any false allegations. |
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Make a list of witnesses that you have to refute potential allegations. |
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Decide how you should dress and act in court. |
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Make a list of the marital assets. |
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Include in the list when each asset came into the marriage. |
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Include how each asset came into the marriage. |
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Calculate how much insurance is in-force that would go to you and your child. |
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Calculate how much insurance you and your child actually need. |
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Write down the education plans for your child and yourself. |
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Make a list of your future potential earnings. |
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Think about what could happen to increase or decrease your future earnings potential. |
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Make a list of the other person's estimated future income. |
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Write down any special earnings potential of the other person. |
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Make a list by subject of the important things you have not told your lawyer. You don't want any surprises in court. List arrests, bankruptcy, affairs, fights--everything! |
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Consider if there is a sickness or disability to be considered. |
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Make a list of any of the ways that you can help control legal costs. |
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Decide what to do if the other person wants to relocate. |
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Decide if you may want to relocate, now or later. |
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Decide if you need a Custody Evaluation to help your case. |
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Hire the right evaluator? Get recommendations from your lawyer, friends, etc. |
