When you're going through a divorce and dealing with custody issues - your first thought may be that you should have custody. If this is because it's in the best interest of your child, by all means, you should pursue it. However, if you are doing it simply to keep your spouse away from your kids because you want to hurt him or her - you should reconsider. The only thing that will accomplish is hurting your children as well and they could grow to resent you for keeping them away from their other parent. That said, here are some tips for how to win custody during a divorce.



Prove That You Are the Best Caregiver -

The courts will always have your child's best interests at heart. This means they will consider who the best caregiver is based on the household situation and living arrangements, family income and the ability to provide for the child, who will care for the child while you're at work and more. The key to winning the custody case is to show that you're the best caregiver for the child. If you've been the primary caregiver for most of the child's life, you will have something great going for you. For instance, you may be a stay at home mother. Be sure to prove that you're the best caregiver for your child.

Show Evidence of Your Concerns -

Many times, courts make their decisions based on evidence that a certain parent may not be the best parent. If there is any evidence that your spouse is not the best permanent caregiver for your child, you need to have it. For instance, there may be times that your spouse didn't do what he or she was supposed to do with the child. They may have forgotten to drop them off here or there or they may not have all of the important information for your child, such as medical insurance, school information, etc. This is information you need to show the court to prove that you are the best caregiver.

There may also be witnesses who can help your case. For instance, if your housekeeper or a family or friend has seen your spouse return the children at a later date than he or she was required to or without the necessary items, these people can help you.

Your Child's Opinion -

If the judge were to ask your child right now who he or she wanted to live with, what would your child say? Depending upon his or her age, their opinion may be taken into consideration. In fact, if your child is at a certain age, his or her opinion may be the deciding factor as to who is granted custody. This is why the parent who has taken care of the child primarily for most of his or her life gets custody in a large percentage of custody cases.

While there is no sure way to win custody cases, these things play a huge part in who gets awarded custody. By knowing this, you can be prepared to show that you are the best choice for the primary caregiver and that your spouse is not the best choice. By following the above tips for child custody cases, you can do just that.