Author: amilimom11

After my finances put me in a position to no longer afford an attorney to represent me in my custody/visitation battle, I had to really get creative. I was often fearful that representing myself as a layperson could put me in a position to lose my case due to my limited knowledge about law and legal procedures. However, losing was not an option for me as I felt that I was fighting for the well-being of my little one. So I prepared to continue navigating the family court system with the help of resources such as YouTube, Google, legal websites, blogs, and a movie or two with a major court scene. While the opposing side in my case was led and advised by a legal professional with a degree, years of work experience, and a formal education in the area of law, I was at a disadvantage lacking all of that. However, I was bound to be successful in my case as a “self-taught lawyer” and that is just what I did.

For several months, I spent endless hours preparing for my trial date on evenings after work and even on weekends. I would be busy researching how to present evidence in court, how to address the judge and court personnel, and learning what I was allowed to say and what I was not. I would watch clips on YouTube from court scenes where I closely examined attorneys, took notes on the types of questions they asked and the ways in which they would ask them, and admired their confidence. I read legal websites with information on family court cases and took advantage of their “frequently asked questions” tabs. I reached out to attorneys in my neighborhood who provided free legal services and met with them to discuss my case. I used their feedback to tailor things in my case where necessary. After extensive research and studying, I began intensively applying what I learned to my own case. I reviewed the timeline of events that I created and made sure I had evidence to support what I was saying (phone records, text messages, police reports, etc). I created an outline which included a strong opening statement, when to call for witnesses, and when to present information to the judge. I prepared a list of significant questions for “Parent B” based on some of the accusations he outlined in his petition; and based off of knowing him as a person and being able to predict the things that he is likely to say. Some questions included asking “Parent B” to share the telephone number he would call when he wanted to speak with A’Bree; a list of his addresses for six years; information pertaining to our little one’s academic and extracurricular activities; proof of support he provides for her; a timeline of his visitation schedule; etc. After this step in my preparation process, I started practicing for trial day with the help of close friends, my mother, and my older sister. Everyone laughed that I had labeled myself a “self-taught lawyer” but were impressed when they listened to the case I had built. They commended me for the work that I put in and my mother always commented that not even a trained lawyer would have gone to the lengths that I did for the best outcomes in my case. I often agreed with my mom because who knew my story better than I did? and who would be able to present it as passionately as I could? The answer is no one and the only issue for me was overcoming the fact that conversations in the courtroom would be much different from the ones that I had at my dining room table. My presentation would be everything and was a very important part of the case. I must admit that I was worried however, after months of planning and doing extensive footwork in my case,  I was beginning to feel more and more confident. Trial day would ultimately determine how prepared I truly was and would prove whether or not the work I did was useful.

Trial day finally arrived for me in the summer of 2016 and I made sure to show up and show out. As I prepared to head to the courthouse, I was certain that my hair was sleek and I was dressed in one of my Sunday’s best. I had my documents and trial outline ready to go and I was prepared for whatever was going to come. After things in the courtroom took off running, it was evident that all parties underestimated me and were not prepared for the circles I danced around “Parent B” and his representation. Their opening statements argued that I had denied “Parent B” parenting time with A’Bree in the form of visits and phone calls. As a result, they requested that I be held in contempt of court for my actions. In contrast, my opening statement affirmed that “Parent B” had only been denied parenting time following irrational and inconsistent behavior placing myself and my “mini me” in danger. I made sure to highlight that he was known to frequently disappear, known to behave dangerously in the presence of A’Bree, and known to not provide child support as ordered; leaving the responsibility of caring for our daughter and transporting her to visits to fall solely on me. I informed the court that what I was alleging would become clear after I presented all my evidence, questioned “Parent B”, and called my witnesses. I was as confident as I could ever be and happy that one of my biggest supporters was sitting in the courtroom and watching my performance; my uncle Terry.

On trial day, “Parent B” and his representation had the opportunity to present their arguments first being that they were the petitioners. Their presentation was relatively short and I wondered why “Parent B” decided to bring a case against me with such little support and evidence for what he was arguing. However, I was ready to share the truth and I had people and documentation to back me. After “Parent B” took the stand and stated that I kept our child from him and wanted me to pay for what I had done, I had the opportunity to question him. This is when the circus began and when my “self-taught lawyer” skills came into play. In response to “Parent B” ‘s argument that I denied him visits with A’Bree, I read him a list of dates that I had kept track of in a journal where I allowed him to see our daughter and asked if he recalled them; he reported that he did. In efforts to challenge his statement that I denied him phone contact with our little one, I asked him to provide the court with the telephone number that he would call in order to speak to A’Bree  however, he was unable to do so and stated that he deleted the number. I then presented him with text messages that he sent to me a few months prior to the trial date, asking to re-enter a sexual and romantic relationship with me; he acknowledged that the texts in fact came from him. When I asked why he texted me more concerned about a romantic relationship rather than building a relationship with our daughter, he commented that he still loved me and wanted to have more children together. When I questioned him about incidents where he failed to return A’Bree back to my custody after visits, he denied such occurrences and it was perfect timing for me to present police reports. Lastly when I highlighted occasions when he behaved aggressively and irrationally in the presence of our daughter, he did not deny it. What had unfolded in the courtroom to me was a clear indicator of “Parent B” ‘s mental health and instability. There was nothing more for me to argue as his testimony said it all. Following my questions for “Parent B”, the court called for an adjournment at the request of his attorney. I took it that they needed time to discuss what I had presented in addition to “Parent B” ‘s inconsistent responses. I took the opportunity to converse with my uncle who had been watching the show and to regather myself for my testimony and witnesses when trial resumed. It was evident that I was leading in the case based on my consistency and preparation. “Parent B” on the other hand was very much unprepared even with legal representation and the inconsistencies in his story were countless.

Following the adjournment in my case, I called my mother and older sister as witnesses to the stand; two people who have observed several occasions where “Parent B” behaved irrationally in the presence of our daughter and subjected me to abuse. My mother descriptively noted times where “Parent B” verbally assaulted her, failed to return my “mini me” back home, and moved to and from new addresses in short spans of time. She argued her interest to assure that my little one saw her father but also discussed her concerns about how such a relationship has been harmful. After she stated her peace she left the courtroom. Next came testimony from my sister about her experiences with “Parent B”. She too detailed his history  of aggression and unstable behaviors. She even retold the story of a time when “Parent B” locked me in an apartment after assaulting me and she came to my aid along with police. After she left the stand, it was my turn to share my experiences. I came prepared with dates when “Parent B” moved and was unable to be contacted; a list of multiple the times where he cancelled scheduled visits with poor reasoning; times where he assaulted me in the presence of my baby girl; times where he threatened to harm me during visit exchanges; and dates where my daughter requested to call home or be returned home during a visit and he denied her. It was such a relief to present the truth and prove to the court that I was not the spiteful and vindictive mother that “Parent B” had painted me to be.  The truth was that I simply saw the instability and dangers that he posed to our little one and wanted him to work towards bettering himself before building a relationship with A’Bree. I made what I believed to be a reasonable request to the court and asked that “Parent B” ‘s home be inspected before visits could take place and asked that he undergo a psychological evaluation and participate in treatment if needed. I looked into the eyes of his attorney as I made these requests because “Parent B” hung his head throughout the course of my testimony. His attorney’s eyes said much more than words could have. As I stepped down from the stand, although tears fell from my face I felt free. After months of fighting in the courts, facing hardship, and waiting for a resolve I had spoken my truth. It was now a matter of waiting and hoping that the court would make a determination that was in the best interests of A’Bree.

After trial ended, A’Bree had an opportunity to speak to the judge along with her attorney. Although I had gone through this tumultuous court battle for months, I kept her ignorant to what was happening. The questions from her following her interaction with the judge and her attorney were overwhelming however, I was happy that I did not have to expose her to what was actually going on. She immediately understood and her maturity was a blessing to me during this time. She shared her thoughts and feelings with the court and when it was over we, waited for the court’s decision and tried to recover from the process.

In November of 2016, I received the court’s decision and it was a relief to learn that I had come out on top. It was decided that A’Bree would remain in my custody and visits with “Parent B” would resume following  a psychological evaluation, drug screening, and his participation in anger management. Truth had prevailed and after months of fear and anxiety I had successfully navigated the family court system and reached success as a self-taught lawyer. Although this is still where things stand today,  I understand that I can easily find myself back in the family court in the near future. However, I am content that I was able to share my story and grateful that other, reasonable adults saw what I have experienced for the past six years. Every day I pray for “Parent B” to one day be in a place to be the best for our little one. In the interim, I am healing and working to move forward with my life. I am continuing to find myself, prioritize our happiness, and provide my baby girl stability and all the things that she has ever dreamed of. This experience has taught me many lessons that I will always apply in life when things are tough, when doors don’t easily open, and when I am in need of something that I must work hard to get. I vow to also teach my little one the same.

Thank you for taking time to read my story! I hope that I have been an inspiration to at least one person along the way.  I always say that although I have gone through so much in this life, I am dedicated to finding a lesson in my experiences and applying it to my life going forward. My purpose in this life is not complete unless I do so and also make efforts to help someone else. Millennial Mom is dedicated to doing just that. In closing, this article is the end of my series on navigating the family court system. It is also an end to my shares about my past in regards to my past relationship and that struggle. In the days to come, I will be sharing much more exciting things about my road to healing, bonding with my “mini me”, happiness in my new relationship, travels, and much more.  So stay tuned for what is to come.

Until next time…

Xoxo,

Millennial Mom