Custody Bootcamp for Moms

Are you worried that the attorney you hired to handle your custody case isn’t doing what he is supposed to be doing? Are you considering handling your custody and visitation case in the juvenile courts on your own?

Whether you’re considering doing it yourself or you just want to know a little more about how custody works in Virginia so that you can check up on your attorney, you’re not alone. There are very few types of cases that are as scary and as potentially life altering as a custody case. We handle them every single day; we totally get it.

Your ability to have a say in how your children are raised, when and how often you’ll see them, how you want them educated, what religion you’d like to teach them (if any at all), and, essentially, to bring into the world the kind of people that will enrich it is essential. As a mother, worrying about not being able to do those things, those critically important things, in the way you imagined is pretty terrible.

That’s why it’s so important that, going in to your custody case, you feel like you’ve done everything possible to ensure a good result. You can’t force the judge or the guardian ad litem to side with you, and it’s so unnerving to know that so much power rests in the hands of people who, frankly, no so little about you, your children, and your family. But what can you do? You can educate yourself. Read as much as possible about Virginia law and custody. Talk to attorneys, especially ones who have experience handling custody cases. Hire an attorney, if you can afford to. Do it yourself, if you feel better that way. But, whatever you do, make sure you know as much as possible about custody law in Virginia, including how to put on the best possible case.

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about how to win your custody case and also how to lose your custody case. I think those blogs are a great place to start, because they’ll give you some inside information about how custody cases work. Sometimes, you don’t know what you don’t know! And, when it comes to custody cases, what you don’t know really can hurt you.

If you haven’t looked into it yet, you should also consider attending Custody Bootcamp for Moms.  It’s an intense, all day seminar, taught by Kristen Hofheimer and Caitlin Walters. It covers pretty much everything you need to know about custody cases in Virginia, including:

• The ten, all important, super critical “best interests of the child” factors that you HAVE to discuss and the judge has to listen to (including what the text of the law says and what the judge is looking for when it comes to your case);
• What to wear and when to sit and stand in the courtroom;
• How to address the judge
• How to handle it when your child’s father wants to bring up your previous bad acts (like the fact that you smoked pot);
• Best practices for working with custody evaluators and guardians ad litem;
• How to prepare a trial notebook;
• How to make opening and closing arguments;
• How to question and cross examine witnesses;
• How to get your evidence in and keep his evidence out; and
• So much more!

There’s no other seminar like it in Virginia, and certainly nothing comparable designed to teach men how to handle custody cases! It’s a great way to learn all about the law in Virginia and to begin to strategize and plan for your upcoming trial.

We teach it quarterly, with seminars in January, April, July, and October. The cost to attend is just $197, which is less than the cost of an hour with a moderately priced local attorney. How long does it last? It’s hard to say, because Kristen and Caitlin will stay until the last woman’s last question is answered. It’s full of tons of valuable information, and it’s definitely a can’t-miss seminar for Virginia moms facing custody cases.

For more information, to register for the seminar, or to schedule an appointment with one of our licensed and experienced Virginia custody attorneys, give our office a call at (757) 425-5200.