Child custody cases can be highly contentious in some instances. In some cases, parents might have diametrically divergent views in terms of what should happen with the children in a divorce or child custody matter.

One parent might believe that one particular custody schedule should be implemented for the children. But the other parent might have a polar opposite view. In some cases, parties may be so far apart in terms of what they believe is best that they might believe the other parent should be supervised.

In other cases, parents can come to agreements on child custody or parenting time. Sometimes, parties can agree to joint custody or a parenting schedule that works for both of them.

No matter the circumstances, it is rarely wise to bring the children to court who are part of the custody proceedings unless clear directions are given to do so. Courts generally like to keep children away from the court proceedings.

Children seeing their parents and their attorneys in court litigating what is going to happen to them can be very damaging from a psychological standpoint. Courts usually want to keep children far removed from seeing their parents in court.

There might be some cases where the children may have to testify, although this is usually discouraged unless necessary. There might also be other cases where the guardian ad litem might want the children in court for a specific reason.

But unless your attorney or the court has directed you to bring the children, a good rule of thumb is not to bring them. If you bring them and have not been directed to do so, it could theoretically hurt the judge’s perception of a particular parent.

The court might feel as if the parent is bringing them there to put them in the middle. This is the exact opposite of what the court wants. So, if you have the children and have a court date, make sure you have childcare of some kind set up and that you do not bring the children to court unless directed to do so.

If you have any questions about this, it is always wise for a party to speak to their attorney. If you need help with a child custody matter, Stange Law Firm, PC can help. You can call us at 1-855-805-0595.