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South Jersey & Philadelphia

Old calendar can be an invaluable tool in child custody dispute

On Behalf of | Jan 8, 2020 | Child Custody

Another year has passed and a new calendar is waiting to be filled with family schedules, social obligations and the myriad other appointments and tasks that fill one’s days. In the event that a divorce or separation may be pending and children are involved, tossing the old calendar may not be the best idea. An old calendar can serve as a diary of children’s activities and parental involvement in New Jersey. If child custody may be an issue in a pending negotiation, the data provided by the calendar can prove very useful.

If one is a typical human being, it can be difficult to remember what one had for breakfast let alone who took a child to a practice or a doctor’s appointment. The stress of dealing with a divorce or separation can also serve to cloud a person’s memory. In addition to helping one remember sports and other activity schedules, the calendar can also be useful for providing other information regarding important things such as health history as well as more mundane activities such as birthday parties. All of this can also assist in developing the budget needed to support these activities.

If a court becomes involved in deciding custody issues the judge will always do what he or she can to act in the child’s best interest. The calendar can provide objective data to help the court reach an informed decision regarding not only custody but also child support. A calendar can also be an indicator of the family lifestyle prior to separation or divorce. Child support is based on, among other items, the lifestyle enjoyed by the child during the marriage.

When a family faces the stress and trauma of divorce or separation, issues of child custody can sometimes be amicably settled by the parents before a court becomes involved. This is not always the case. If court intervention is needed in New Jersey, the more data a parent can provide related to a child custody or support issue, the more informed a decision the court is able to make.

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