As child visitation lawyers, we know the role of social media, including sites like Facebook and Instagram has been very clear in divorce cases and child custody cases in California for a while now. More and more courts are giving credibility to evidence recovered from Facebook, Twitter, and other types of social media sites where divorce lawyers now visit to look for evidence that they can use against their clients’ spouses.

In one recent case, a New York woman’s Facebook profile will be used as evidence against her in a child custody case. The judge allowed attorneys to use her Facebook profile as evidence in determining the outcome of the case. This was the first such ruling in New York, and before this, social media profiles were not permitted to be used as evidence in family law cases.

In this case, however, the father claimed that the mother was not a fit parent, and that the child had been spending much more time with the father than the mother. The woman apparently had been vacationing around the world. All that information was available on her Facebook profile. The dates on her Facebook profile clearly provided evidence that it was the man, and not the mother in this case who spent the majority of the time with the child.

To learn how social media can jeopardize your case, speak to our Los Angeles child visitation attorneys. For help getting a favorable outcome in your case, schedule a consultation with a Los Angeles child visitation lawyer.

As child visitation lawyers, we know there are things that you can do while your child custody dispute is on to prove to the court that you are a fit parent. That means additional effort on your part to establish custody. For one thing, follow the court order stringently, and don’t violate any of the terms of the order. Even if the other parent continues to flout the court’s order, do not give in, and do not be tempted. When you go to pick up your youngster, be prompt, and on-time. Avoid skipping visitations.

Maintain documentation of the specific times that you spend with the youngster. Completely document the activities that the child was involved in when he or she was with you. Avoid turning the child against the other parent. Remember, courts do not look kindly on parents who try to disrupt the child’s relationship with the other parent. Allow the youngster access to the other parent according to the plan.

Avoid exposing the child to new romantic partners in your life. Also remember, a youngster custody dispute can very quickly turn ugly, and Los Angeles child visitation lawyers are not unfamiliar with cases in which spouses face charges of child abuse, sexual abuse, and molestation, for something as innocent as bathing a youngster. Ensure that the child is only exposed to child-friendly entertainment when he is at your place.

For more advice about what you can do for a favorable outcome of a child custody dispute, speak to our Los Angeles child visitation lawyers.

The courts do not set aside a time frame for spouses who have been recently separated to begin dating again. If you begin dating, or begin a new romantic relationship while divorce proceedings are still on, or when your child custody dispute has not yet been resolved, then this could jeopardize your case.

The court will not object to a new romantic partner while divorce proceedings are on, but may have something to say if you expose your children to the new partner. If you, for instance, have a temporary visitation agreement going on with your soon-to-be ex-spouse, and have your new romantic partner living in the same house with your children, your spouse could try to insinuate that you are an unfit parent by your actions. The court could find that you have shown poor judgment by introducing a new person into your children’s lives during an already delicate and sensitive time in their lives.

If you are currently separated or are in the middle of a divorce proceeding, and your settlement has not been finalized, take care before starting any romantic relationship. If you are dating, our child visitation attorneys recommend that you avoid bringing the person home when you have your children with you. Remember this is not just wrong from a legal point of view, but could also be traumatizing for children who are still trying to adjust to the fact that their parents are no longer living together.

For help resolving a child custody dispute, speak to a Los Angeles child visitation attorney.

It is best if parents can come to a mutual agreement about the custody of the child. In many cases however, this is not possible, and a court will have to make a decision about the custody of the child. In such cases, the court will take into consideration a number of factors to establish that the arrangement is in the best interests of the youngster.

The court will consider the age and the health of the youngster. It will consider the physical and mental health of a child’s parents, their lifestyle, including the kind of environmental conditions that the parents can provide for the child.

The court will look at any history of youngster abuse, or violence in the family. It will also look at the bond between the parent and the child, and the parents’ ability to provide a favorable environment for the child. That will include the ability to provide the child with all of his basic living needs, like food, shelter, school, as well as community participation. It will look at the parents’ ability to provide for the medical needs of the child.

Los Angeles child visitation lawyers also often find courts asking for the child’s input. If the youngster is of a certain age and is able to articulate his own wishes, the court may even ask him his wishes about custody.

The court will make a decision after it takes into consideration all of these factors.

If you are unable to come to an agreement with your partner about the custody of a youngster, speak to a Los Angeles child visitation lawyer for guidance.