How To Reach A Child Custody Agreement-3 Vital Steps
The involvement of the courts in your child custody battle has the potential to end in tears for all concerned
. It will be costly and potentially traumatic but it does not have to be like this if you reach agreement with the other parent and settle the matter without recourse to court.
There are a number of ways to achieve this desirable outcome and they principally involve alternative dispute resolution measures such as
1.Informal child custody negotiations
2.agreement between parents out of court
3.child custody mediation
Child Custody Mediation
This is a non adversarial process where a trained mediator meets with both parties and attempts to help the parties themselves to reach agreement. Meditators should be able to assist in opening a dialogue which may have closed and help the parents to reach agreement without the need for costly litigation.
Informal Child Custody Negotiations
The first inclination of your attorney should be to seek to meet the attorney for the other side and attempt to reach an agreement which is acceptable to both parties. It is important to recognize this as a sensible approach and not a sign of weakness. It is equally important that both parties engage meaningfully with the attempt by the legal professionals and recognize that it is not a case of winner takes all.
The interests of the child/children should be the guiding light in all of this and you need to adopt a mature approach to the negotiations-no matter how difficult this may be because of residual bitterness.
Good child lawyers will be experienced in this area and should always, as a first port of call, attempt to bring about a negotiated agreement rather than head for the court house.