My situation
I was dealing with my son's mother who was a drug abuser (cocaine). Unfortunately, the first go-round in court was with a judge that was pro-woman and allowed the mother to skip the court-ordered drug tests six times. At that point, I had a lawyer, but she still kept custody of my son and got increased child support - just by passing one drug test. The second time around, the mother left my son with her boyfriend for two months, and CPS stepped in and gave me my son.
How I prepared for court
I went in Pro Se, basically using the same documents from the previous case. I just re-wrote everything, and subpoenaed Child Protective Services, which you must do in order to get the case on record. I spent alot of time in the judge's court, too, watching the lawyers' mannerisms, the language they used, and the court etiquette they used with the judge. On my day of court, I dressed as a lawyer would, with a suit and briefcase, and I had all of my documents prepared beforehand, which impressed the judge.
Advice
- For fathers - you are fighting an uphill battle, for sure. To prove a mother unfit is almost impossible, and you have to be careful not to show any emotion other than concern for your child's welfare.
- Have a list of discovery questions that will give the judge all the information needed to make a decision in your best interest.
