7 Questions Asked At a Child Custody Hearing

For parents in a custody battle, preparing for court hearings can make all the difference. Here are 7 common questions asked at a child custody hearing.

Common questions asked at California child custody hearings include:

What is your current financial status?
What child custody arrangement are you looking for?
How is your communication with the other parent?
Is there already an informal custody arrangement between the parents?
How is your relationship with your child?
What is your role in the child’s daily life?
Are there any issues between the parents?

1. What is your current financial status?

Judges are interested in a parent’s financial status and resources in order to ensure that the parent is able to take care of a child’s financial needs. Parents who are not employed are not necessarily immediately prevented from winning custody, but it is important to explain unemployment status and how the parent plans to financially support the child.

Child support may also be determined at the same hearing, which is why financial status may come up during the hearing.

The judge will require evidence of parental income in order to determine the custody arrangement and child support. Other financial considerations, such as debt or other children, may also be a factor in the custody decision.

2. What child custody arrangement are you looking for?

The judge will ask about the custody arrangement the parent is seeking. There are several types of custody arrangements: sole or joint custody. Typically, courts prefer joint custody, as it gives the child equal time to spend with each parent.

The judge will try to reach a reasonable compromise for all parties; custody arrangements may include specific details such as dropoff and pickup, weekends, and holidays.

3. How is your communication with the other parent?

In order to determine how the parents will cooperate in a custody arrangement, the judge may ask about the parents’ relationship. Judges usually prefer joint custody arrangements, which require parents to communicate regularly with each other. Parents who cannot communicate well may have more trouble with joint custody arrangements; judges must take communication into consideration.

If a parent refuses to cooperate with the other parent, the possibility of reaching a joint custody arrangement may be jeopardized.

4. Is there already an informal custody arrangement between the parents?

A judge may like to know if there is already a functioning custody arrangement in place. Judges often seek to maintain existing custody arrangements if they seem to be working. It is also in the best interest of the child to not make drastic changes to a good routine.

5. How is your relationship with your child?

The judge will inquire about and take into consideration the history of each parent’s relationship with the child. Be honest with the judge when considering this answer, as the entire hearing is based on decisions in your child’s best interest.

6. What is your role in the child’s daily life?

Depending on the existing arrangement, the two parents may have an unbalanced parenting situation. The judge may ask about the history of each parent’s involvement with the child and the parent’s overall care for the child. This helps the judge decide on an arrangement that is the least drastic change in the child’s routine. Maintaining good, existing routines between the child and parents is ideal.

7. Are there any issues between the parents?

If any serious issues between parents arise over the course of the divorce process, the judge will likely ask for details about the matter. If there are allegations of domestic abuse or substance abuse, the court will ask for details in order to determine the safest and best arrangement for the child.

Contact Us

If you or a loved one is preparing for questions asked at a child custody hearing, contact us. Get your free consultation with one of our California Child Custody Attorneys today!