Child support is the periodic payments made by one parent for the support of his children. It’s therefore important to make sure that you prepare for the hearing adequately. You need to work with the child support lawyers Fairfax to ensure that you get a fair hearing. The judge who will make the decision after the hearing doesn’t know you and it’s therefore important that you prepare well because the decision made will depend on the information presented. In this article, we tell you how you should prepare for the child support hearing.
Materials you Will Need During the Child Support Hearing
It’s critical that you are organized before you attend the hearing. Below the items you will require;
- Financial documents
- Payment stubs for the last four months
- Most recent income tax returns
- Documents showing health insurance paid
If you have any documents from the other spouse present them to the lawyer. It’s important that the judge has an accurate picture of the situation. Make sure you get as much information as possible from the other parent.
How to Prepare for Child Support hearing
The child support hearing is crucial to the well being of the children and it should, therefore, be taken seriously. In this section, we give you tips to ensure that the hearing is successful.
- Check your emails for any communication
It’s easy to get overwhelmed and forget to keep in touch. It’s paramount that you respond to the emails from the family lawyer especially if they are seeking more details. Make sure that any email from your partner’s lawyer is answered promptly. Ensure that you read the emails and understand what is required of you. If you don’t understand the requirement, make sure you consult the spousal support lawyers. In case you are required to follow up on any information make sure that is done.
- Give Clear and concise information
It’s important that the information you provide is 100% truthful. Don’t try to manipulate the information you are giving. Don’t exaggerate your financial requirements in an attempt to sway the amount of money you get. Any attempt to manipulate information will reflect badly on you and that may make the judge consider the other party more than you.
- Keep time during the hearing
First impressions are important, and you don’t want to arrive at the child support hearing late. Keeping time will help you get time to relax and you can consult the child support lawyer on any issue that you feel is not clear. Arriving in time will show the judge that you are committed to the children and that may make it easier for you.
- Don’t go out of topic
The reason for the hearing is for the judge to determine the amount of support you will receive or how much you need to pay. The judge cannot change them or modify the child custody or amend the visitation orders so don’t discuss any other issue during the hearing. Don’t stray from the topic.
- Have realistic expectations
The judge will make a decision based on the information provided. It’s therefore crucial that you furnish the family lawyer with all the required information so that you can get a fair hearing. Make sure that you have all the information from the other parent and in case you suspect that some information is hidden ensure that the judge is informed. In such a case the judge will impute the income of the parent meaning that they will make a decision based on the expected income given the previous employment. It’s however important that you remain realistic. Make sure that you have the facts about the case and base your expectations on facts.
Make sure that you have provided enough information to the top rated divorce lawyer handling the child support hearing. Once the judge has made an order for the payment of the child support the parent who is supposed to pay is held to the obligation. The child support payment should be made even if the circumstances change. However, in the event, the parent is unable to pay due to illness or incapacitation they will need to seek the help of the family lawyer who will request a modification of the child support. It’s paramount that you provide detailed information for the best outcome.