A few grounded principles for anyone heading into a family-law case, self-represented or not:
- Know exactly what you want and ask for it clearly — but be sure, because you might get it.
- If you’re genuinely not focused on your child’s best interest, stop and reconsider — revenge doesn’t win in court, and you’ll be co-parenting this person for 18 years either way.
- Preparation is everything. Start a daily journal now, and keep it current — names, dates, and contact information for every relevant person and event.
- Keep an organized file: pleadings, correspondence, and documentation in separate, dated sections.
- Learn the basics of your case: your judge, your court’s clerk and staff, hearing schedules, and where things happen. Sit in on a few hearings before yours if you can.
- Always be truthful — getting caught in even a small lie damages your credibility on everything else.
- Keep your opinions for your attorney or trusted friends, never for the courthouse hallway.
- Consider mediation and settlement as a first option, not a last resort, when it serves your child’s best interest.